THINKING ABOUT YOU!

“Remember Jesus Christ...” 2 Timothy 2:8

Honest confession I have told very few people: I once forgot about a guy I was dating. We met in college and had been going out for several months. One weekend I went on a trip to visit a friend in school out of state. Rob headed to a different state to visit family. We promised to bring each other a souvenir from our travels. Well, my out of state friend was a guy, a really awesome guy, whom I really was just friends with, with whom I had a very fun just friends weekend, but I will admit that not once during the whole time, did Rob ever cross my mind. In fact, I didn’t remember Rob or his souvenir until he called Monday evening to ask what time would be good to pick me up so we could have dinner and he could give me my prize! Thank goodness for the sports store in the mall where I was able to quickly dash and buy a keychain of the pro sports team close to the town I had visited! (I know some of you are appalled at this story. Others are laughing!)

Not remembering Rob and his gift seem funny (now!) but forgetting something or someone important is no laughing matter. Perhaps this is why Paul told Timothy to “remember Jesus Christ.” That almost seems absurd. Of course, we’re going to remember Jesus! But do we really? And how often do we really remember Him?

What does it even mean to “remember” someone? It means to think about that person and to have our actions and attitudes based upon him/her. We remember our children – we think about them throughout the day, and as result, we do things we wouldn’t do if they weren’t important to us. We buy Fruit Loops at the Publix, we hand wash the uniform they need for the evening, we drive to their schools and pick them up.

What does it mean to remember Jesus? It means to think of Him and to base our actions and attitudes on Him. It means we say “Thank You!” as He provides – whether it’s quick lunch at home or the funds to cover a medical bill. It means we hold our tongue when we want to say something unkind. It means we go out of our way to share encouraging words or a timely touch. It means we smile up to Him and snuggle in His love as He delights us with a stunning sunrise or a refreshing fall breeze. It means we listen as He talks to us in the Bible and we answer back in prayer.

When Paul told Timothy to “Remember Jesus Christ…,” he used a verb tense which indicates the action should be repeated continually. The actual definition is “Keep on recalling again and again.” We live hurried lives in a busy world. Our minds are filled with thoughts of responsibilities, appointments, and expectations. Of need-to-dos, have-to-dos, and want-to-dos. God knows all that. But He also knows that we will best function and be the most fulfilled when we focus on Him first.

Remember Jesus. Think of Him lots. Talk with Him much. Love Him most. Enjoy Him best.

I can guarantee He won’t forget your prize!


Time For A Little R&R

RECOGNIZE
Who do you find yourself thinking about most throughout each day?
How often does Jesus cross your mind?

RESPOND
Set your timer or watch to beep ever hour. Remember Jesus as it goes off and say thanks.

PRETTY PLEASE

“No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs – he wants to please his commanding officer.” 2 Timothy 2:4

Please. How often do you hear that word? “Just one more cookie? PLEASE!!!” “Somebody, anybody, answer the phone, please!” “Would you please clean your room and make your bed?” And even the occasional comment (or look) simply saying, “Oh, please!” (Pronounced – Oh Pu-leeze!) “Please” is often considered one of the two magic words. “Thank you” being the other.

But Please and Thank You aren’t just for little kids learning to be good. They are for us big kids learning to be like God! We should live our lives as a “Thank You!” – a “Thank You” that will please our Father. Instead of simply saying “please” to God, we should be living to please God. Each day we should desire to delight our Father.

How do you feel when someone intentionally does something that pleases you? Something that just makes your day? I know it certainly makes me feel special and cherished – loved and desired. Shouldn’t we want to make God’s day? I think we really do, but perhaps we’re not sure just how we can. Paul reminds Timothy the reason a soldier doesn’t spend the hours of his days involved in non-military activities is because he desires to delight his commanding officer. Implied is the understanding that obedience to the commands and instructions that have been given are what will please the commanding officer.

So what commands and instructions can we obey that will please and delight the One in charge of us? What can we do to make God’s day? As if God knew we would be asking, He used another letter Paul wrote to give us a definite answer! In Colossians 1:9-12 Paul says he constantly prays for his friends to know God’s will so they can live worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way. And then Paul lists four things that please God: 1 – Growing in the knowledge of God. 2 – Bearing fruit in every good work. 3 – Being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.
4 – Joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in His kingdom of light.

Wow! We don’t have to wonder what might please God. It really is in black and white! 1 - Get to know Him better. 2 - Show Him off in what you do. 3 - Let His power give you patience. 4 – Tell Him thank you – a lot!

Desire to delight the One who desires and delights in you.

Know Him more. Show Him off. Be strong and go long. Say thanks.

You will make God’s day, and your life will be a “pretty please”!


Time For A Little R&R

RECOGNIZE
Whom do you spend most of your time and energy trying to please?

RESPOND
How can you please God in each of the four ways listed today?

PASSION - WHAT LOVE HAS TO DO WITH IT Study 4

Part 1 – Love God
2 Timothy 1:7

Several years ago in a number one song, pop star Tina Turner asked the provoking question, “What’s love got to do with it?” The answer – Pretty much everything! That’s the reply Jesus gave a probing lawyer who tested him in a similar way many years ago. “What’s the greatest commandment?” the Pharisee asked. It seemed like a hard question. God had given the Jewish people hundreds of directives, commandments, and instructions. Out of so many, who could say which was the most important?

Jesus didn’t hesitate in his answer. “Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” (Matthew 22:37-39) Jesus knew what his antagonists had not yet learned – Life is all about relationships. Love God. Love others. Love has a lot “to do with it”!

So what is this thing called love? We each have our own definition. So goes God. 1 John 3:16 says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus gave up his life for us. And we should give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.” In a word, love is sacrifice. Love is giving instead of getting. It’s choosing others over ourselves. It’s easier said than done.

No wonder Timothy might have seemed a bit hesitant about going all out for God! Jesus has said that people will know we are Christians by our love. He says we should love God completely and others unselfishly. No small task any way you cut it! I can see why Timothy was timid! I am! All of which makes Paul’s words even more comforting and encouraging. “God has not given us a spirit of fear but a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind.” God says, “Be strong! Be loving! Be focused!” and then He turns right around and fills us up with His power, His passion, and His purpose!

I don’t think Tina Turner meant to be a great theologian, but in the chorus of the song as she cynically inquires, “What’s love but a second-hand emotion?” she hits upon a great truth. True love is second-hand. It first belonged to someone else. It belonged to God. John was Jesus’ close friend. He loved Jesus and Jesus loved him. John is called “The disciple whom Jesus loved.” Listen to what he says about second-hand love. “Love comes from God. We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:7 &19) I don’t know about you, but that is huge for me. I don’t have to come up with all this love on my own. I can’t love like I should on my own. And God didn’t leave me on my own. He loved me. He chose me. He made His. And He fills me up with His love. I just need to let that love grow and to let that love show.

How? Honestly, the best way for love to grow and for love to show is to know! Get to know God and get to know others. Many an arrogant lad has tried to woo a doubtful dame with the promise, “To know me is to love me!” We laugh and think, “If he has to tell her, it’s probably not true!” But it is true with God. To know Him is to love Him. As we know Him better, we love Him more deeply and show others His love more freely.

Sometime in your life, you might have fallen in love at first sight, but we all know that it takes many days together to truly love. You must know someone well before you can love them well! I’m not sure my daughters quite understand this yet, but one afternoon a few years ago as we were coming home from school, my then eight year old Rachel asked me who I thought she would marry. Not wanting to give any room for the possibly of dating during the next decade, I told her that I had no idea who she would marry but I was certain it would be someone she met after she finished high school and moved away to college (and probably even later than that!) I said, “You don’t even know the guy you’re going to marry yet!” I didn’t give our conversation much more thought until a few days later I overheard by six year old tell my five year old, “Mommy said you marry somebody you don’t even know!” (There’s more truth to that than she knows! )

It’s the same way with God. We began this relationship knowing about Him but not knowing Him. How incredible it is that the longer we know Him, the better we can know Him. We get to know God the same way we get to know anyone else. We spend time with Him. We talk with Him. We listen to Him. God helps us know Him better in two words – through words and through works.

We know God better through words by listening to what He says in the Bible and by speaking to Him in prayer. Communication is the key to any good relationship. Ours with God is no exception. Talk with Him continually. Listen to Him consistently.

We also know God through the works He has made – all of creation – and through the ways that He works in our lives and in the lives of others. Take time to be awed and amazed at the detail and design of the next butterfly that flits past. Consider the ability and agility of your own hand as you reach for the salt shaker. Think about the circumstances and situations of your life during the past three months. How has God helped you? Guided you? Held you? How do you know Him better now than you did before? Every few days write down how you know God has worked in your life. At the end of each month read over your “Know Notes” and thank God for who He is and what He has done!

So what does love have to do with it? Everything. Life is all about love. Real life is anchored in a love relationship with God. The more we know Him, the more we’ll love Him. The more we love Him, the more we can show and share true love with others. And the better life will be.

Maybe one day Tina will sing a song about that kind of love!

HANDLING THE BATTLEFIELD BLUES

Devotion 6

“Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” 2 Timothy 2:3

YUCK! That’s what I thought as I read this verse. It might not sound holy but it’s honest! And let’s be honest – tough times are tough. God knows that. Jesus experienced all kinds of tough times. When was the last time you were ridiculed by your family, scorned by your hometown, derided by the church leaders, and had a price on your head – all at the same time?

Paul knew life was hard. He knew that trouble and pain were part of living and that being a Christ-follower did not make one immune to problems. For Timothy and Paul, because of the persecution, it actually made things worse. Did Paul relish the suffering? No. Did he look forward to prison? No. He simply knew that in this life all kinds of difficulty would come Timothy would need to endure, so Paul encouraged him to fight through the tough times with focus. “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

What vivid orders! In battle soldiers undergo many demanding and difficult situations. They experience little sleep and lousy food. They live in constant danger and lose comrades along the way. The comforts and luxuries of home seem like a distant dream as they daily combat the enemy. To fight like a good soldier, you must be determined and brave. You must believe in the cause and stay focused on the objective.

Same with Timothy and same with us. Our lives here as Christ-followers will be demanding and difficult. I wish I could tell you something different, but Jesus Himself told us that in this world we will have trouble. That’s because it’s a place messed up by sin and influenced Satan. Like it or not, hardship is here to stay. How do we handle it? The same way Paul and Timothy did – Fight through the tough times with a focus on Jesus. He is the cause we must believe in. He is the objective we stay focused upon.

“So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (The Message)

Be a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
He will be worth it all.


Time For A Little R&R

RECOGNIZE
What tough time is challenging you right now? How can you know God better through this trial?

RESPOND
Ask God for strength, focus, and faith.

WE'VE GOT THE POWER! Study 3

"God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, of love, and of self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

My brother is certain he is a world-class snow skier. Several days swishing down slopes out west during his twenties secured this idea in his mind. If only he had not grown up in the Deep South where sand was much more abundant than snow and where the closest thing to a big hill was many miles away! Alas, the world will never know what could have been! Such postulating is humorous, but true unfulfilled potential is frustrating. We’ve all known people who just never seemed to live up to what we knew they could be? So much talent, so much charisma, so much ability – a lot of possibility but little productivity. It makes us wonder “why?” What holds others (and us) back from doing the things we know we ought to do and want to do? The reasons are assorted and abundant, but one common element exists in almost every answer. FEAR.

What if I fail? What if I look stupid? What if people make fun of me? What if I mess it all up? What if I’m not as good at it as others? Fear looms larger than our faith, and instead of going at it with gusto, we tiptoe out in trepidation. I think Timothy just might have been a “tip-toer”! And Paul was the cheerleader with the Nike JUST DO IT! logo plastered across the front of his uniform! However, Paul was wise, for instead of simply shouting, “Go! Fight! Win!” he told Timothy not only what he should do but also why he should do it and how he could do it. “For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, of love, and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 2:6-7

Paul is saying, “Timothy, God has given you ability. Activate it! He’s given you a knack for something. Knock it out! He’s He has given you a gift. Get busy!” We can hear the earnest plea in Paul’s voice as he reminds Timothy that God has provided all he will need to pursue God’s plans. Paul knows that Timothy is scared and that his fear could paralyze him into not reaching his potential or doing his best, so Paul encourages Timothy with a great truth – a truth that can help us live a winning life in a losing world. God has not filled us with fear but with power, passion, and purpose! This spirit must be the vital principle of our lives. These must define our attitude, influence our way of thinking, and impact our actions. They must be what fills us up.

That’s what the word “spirit” actually means. It comes from the Greek word “pneuma.” If, like me, you think pneumonia when you see that word, you’re on the right track! Pneumonia is a sickness of the lungs – the very place we take the breaths that give us life. In the same way, God breathes into us His Spirit, who gives us life and fills us up with power, passion, and purpose.

We are graciously given all three so we can fulfill our divine potential. They work together to “help us live up to what we have already attained.” (Philippians 3:16) A close look at each can help us understand and appreciate the great gift we have received.

Let’s begin with power! The definition of this word is “ability, boldness, strength.” The actual word is “dynamis.” Yep, that’s where we get the word “dynamite.” We are given God’s dynamite to enable us to live His life in this life! In fact, true power is simply God’s life in us.

Most every good gift comes in a package! Who can resist a beautifully wrapped, bow-adorned, your-name-on-the-tag present? So how is this gift of power packaged? And how do we plug in?

Our power is packaged in the gospel.

A friend called last week and said, “Do you want the good news or…the good news?” I like those kinds of calls! Did you know the word “gospel” means Good News! The gospel is God’s good news to you and to me. And within that good news lies incredible power. Power God gives to us so we can live a life of triumph.

We don’t often think about the good news of Jesus in terms of power, but Paul surely did. Listen to what he wrote about the power of the gospel. Romans 1:16 says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…” I Corinthians 1:18 tells us that “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Paul says the gospel is the power of God for everyone who believes. So what exactly is this gospel? This good news so full of power? Well, it’s good news that begins with bad news -- God is good but we are not. When I say “good,” I don’t just mean good like, “It’s all good!” or “That would be good.” I mean “good” like totally good, perfectly good, nothing but good. That’s not us. We’re not that kind of good.

So the bad news is that no matter how hard we try to get to God, we can’t. Our best at trying to be good enough, won’t even bring us one step closer. We are hopelessly and helplessly separated from God because of our sin – the choices we make to do things our own way not His. And here’s more bad news, because of our sin we will remain separated from Him forever. Our destiny is an eternity of no hope, no help, no good, no God. Just us living out the just consequences of our selfish choices – eternally.

But here’s the good news (the gospel!). God came to us. Because of love. Because of grace. God came to this earth in Jesus Christ to live perfectly and to die purposefully. Jesus died on the cross to pay the consequence of death which we owe for our sins. He died to pay for our sins, and He rose again to give us life – abundant, forever life! As we believe and trust in Him, God gives us His life and makes us His own. That’s the gospel. That’s good news! That’s powerful stuff!

But Paul is honest and he says that this good news sounds crazy to those around us who don’t believe it and won’t receive it. I agree. It is quite absurd. God becoming man. Dying. Coming back to life. Yea right. No, yeah!! Right!!! It does not matter what anyone else thinks about the truth. It’s still the truth. For thousands of years men have tried to do away with God’s good news. Emperors tried to destroy it with decrees. Armies sought to stamp it out with war. Governments attempt to eradicate it with intimidation, torture, and violence. Currently around the world over 50,000 people are killed each year for trusting the truth of the gospel. And yet it remains. The simple story that God loves so much that He gave and when we believe Jesus, we receive life, has no ending and never will. In Revelation 5, where God gives us a glance into the future, we see Jesus on His heavenly throne surrounded by countless millions, singing the same “old, old story.” “You are worthy…because you died and with your blood you bought men for God from all around the world! To You be praise, honor, glory, and power!” And that truly is the song that never ends!

Nothing can change the power of the gospel, but the power of the gospel can change everything. Paul says, “Timothy, God has given you power. He’s given you life by the power of the gospel, and He will give you the power you need to live this life. In fact, 2 Peter 1:3 says, “God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness…” Everything we need! What do you need power for? What makes you feel timid? A bit like a coward? What situations, circumstances, or people make you fearful? Here’s an honest confession: In my Bible by that verse on July 1, 2003, I wrote, “As I parent…” At that time my three girls were six, four and a half, and almost three. I was needy. I needed wisdom. I needed grace. I needed patience. I needed love. I needed…well, if you’re a parent, you know what all I needed! I think “need” isn’t even the right word. I was desperate. I remember reading those words as I prepared to teach a Wednesday night Bible study. The verse jumped right off the page and smacked me square in the face. God’s power has given me any and every single thing I will ever need for any and every single thing I will ever need it.

Paul is trying to help Timothy understand this as he tells him to not be afraid but to be assured and not ashamed. “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but of spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord or of me His prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.” 2 Timothy 1:9

When God’s good news becomes your good news, His power becomes your power. Psalm 68:35 says, “The God of Israel gives power and strength to His people.” Paul knew this and reminded Timothy in chapter 2 verse 1 to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” Our strength comes from God’s power. Paul experienced this first-hand. He’s the one who wrote the well-loved verse, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength!” We love the triumphant confidence of that verse. We picture a conquering warrior raising his hands in victory after toppling a formidable foe. But here’s the reality – Paul wrote those words from prison while in chains. He penned them in a letter to the Christ-followers in Philippi. He said that knowing he could do everything through God who gave him strength was the secret of being content in any and every situation.

The people in Philippi knew that Paul walked his talk. It was in their city that he and his mission partner Silas had been seized from the street for freeing a slave girl from demon possession. They had been dragged before city officials, stripped, severely flogged, and flung into jail. At about midnight, their bodies pulsing with pain and their feet shackled in stocks, God’s power and strength had flowed through their unbound hearts in prayer and praise. Acts 16:25 says the other prisoners were listening to them. That’s all they were able to do – just listen. But God could do more than just hear – and He did. His power shook the earth, threw open the prison doors, loosened the binding chains, and softened the jailer’s heart. Paul knew about God’s power – God’s dynamite, and he declares to us that God has given this same power to us. As His children, it pulses through our very being as His spirit lives in us, guiding us, strengthening us, teaching us, growing us up in Jesus.

Let’s not be like my brother, who around the holiday dinner table occasionally laments his unused talent, let’s daily plug into the power of God’s presence through prayer and through His Word. It’s time to let go of fear and to live in His power! God’s power will never run out and it will never stop. It is endless and eternal. It is the gift of Himself.

Let’s be all He wants us to be – through the One who gives us strength!

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Devotion 6

“May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me.” 2 Timothy 1:16-17

Onesiphorus. Crazy name. Neat guy. Here’s what we know about him. He had helped Paul in many ways in the Turkish city of Ephesus several years before. Their friendship didn’t end when Paul moved out of town. It didn’t end when Paul moved into prison in a completely different country! For some reason Onesiphorus ended up in Rome, where Paul was incarcerated, and he went to see him.

Let’s be honest. It’s one thing to go to a prison with a ministry group, (that’s absolutely terrific to do and I’m not lessening the importance or difficulty of such service) but it really is another thing to go on a personal visit – to see a brother, a son, a daughter, or a close friend. There is something very humbling about identifying yourself with an inmate and something very heartbreaking about realizing the true situation. (And our prisons today are luxurious and kind compared to Paul’s Roman jail.) Paul was a prisoner because he was considered a convict, a law-breaker, a menace to society. Onesiphorus knew his association with Paul would make him look bad, but he loved Paul more than he cared about his own reputation. He was not “ashamed of Paul’s chains.” He searched diligently until he found him. Onesiphorus went out of his way on his way. Why? Because he knew Paul needed refreshing!
“Refresh” is one of my (many) favorite words. “Because he often refreshed me…” It literally means “to recover from the effects of heat, to take air, to cool off.” To put it in our language today, Paul says his relationship with Onesiphorus was like a breath of fresh air. His actions, words, and attitude helped Paul recover from the effects of the heat (pressure) he felt as he awaited his second and final trial before Caesar.

Onesiphorus was simply living up to his name. Onesiphorus means “bringing profit or advantage.” How very appropriate! He brought encouragement to Paul at his lowest and companionship in his loneliest. He didn’t just refresh Paul once. He did it repeatedly. He didn’t just do it when it was convenient. He pounded the pavement (ok, the stones) in Rome until he found him. He didn’t just help when it made him look good. He helped when it made him look bad. He really was a breath of fresh air.
Why should we be anything different?

Time For A Little R&R

RECOGNIZE
Who is someone you know who could use “a breath of fresh air” today?

RESPOND
How will you go out of your way on your way to refresh that person?

WHADDA YA KNOW?

“…because I know whom I have believed…” 2 Timothy 1:12

“Whadda ya know?” This phrase is often used as a fun greeting, but it’s actually a good question to seriously ask ourselves. “What do you know?” What are you absolutely, positively, without-a-doubt certain about? Well, there’s always your Social Security number. It definitely doesn’t change – even if someone steals your identity! The fact that our kids will wake up wanting breakfast and not wanting to brush their teeth is a pretty sure bet! And I imagine that you can think of at least one friend who you are sure would walk with you through anything.

Knowing that we know what we know about something greatly impacts our actions and attitudes in the different situations of life. Paul was suffering. He makes that point very clear to Timothy in verses 8 and 12. But even in suffering, Paul was not ashamed to be considered a felon, and Paul was not wondering if his pain was worth the price. Why? Because Paul knew who he knew and what he knew. Paul knew Jesus and Paul knew Jesus was faithful.

So do we. We know Jesus. We know He is faithful. We know we are His, that He has a plan, and that there is more to life than just this life. Listen to the comfort and encouragement God gives us in these “KNOW” verses.

“Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” Psalm 100:3
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14
“You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.” Acts 10:36
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13
“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” I John 3:2

Live today like you “know whom have believed,” and the next time someone says, “Whadda ya know?” smile and say, “Let me tell you!”

Time For A Little R&R

RECOGNIZE
Through the Bible, circumstances, and other people, God continually reminds us of many things we can know about Him. Today be on the lookout for these reminders and think about what you know.

RESPOND
Keep a list of “Know Notes” – things you know about Jesus from personal experience. As you face days of discouragement or doubt, reading your “Know Notes” will give you confidence that He is faithful and will continue to be your loving, powerful God.

GIFT_WRAPPED GRACE

Devotion 4
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you…”
2 Timothy 1:6

Gifts are fun. Fun to give and (it’s ok to admit it) fun to get! We all love finding just the right gift for that special friend and having her be truly delighted when she opens it. And we’ve all faked our way through opening a gift that was, well, not exactly what we were hoping for!

I think our joy in giving and receiving gifts is a reflection of being created in God’s image. He is the ultimate gift-giver! The Bible says that God gives us help, wisdom, strength, food, attention, victory, life, peace, His Word, glory, and grace – just to name a few. He delights in giving good gifts to His children, and His gifts are always perfect.

God’s gifts are never unusable – like the mouse shaped cutting board I was once given. (Something about chopping my food on a rat just wasn’t appealing!) They are never too much – quite unlike the 19 casserole dishes I received at my wedding shower. (Did I ever have a great credit line at Beall’s!) And God’s gifts always fit just right – unlike the 38 D bras from my aunt! God made us, God knows us, and He’s definitely aware of what we like and what we need!

God gives us some gifts to enjoy – just as parents give presents which bring delight to their children. God also gives us different gifts to employ – to put to use for others. Some of those gifts help fellow Christ-followers grow in Him and some help not-yet Christ-followers know about Him. The Bible calls those gifts “spiritual gifts.” The root words in Greek mean “gifts of grace.” I like that. When we become His, God gives us a “welcome to the family” gift – a grace gift – which He wants us to use to show His grace to the world around us. A useful gift is only useful when it is used. (I wouldn’t call that profound or clever, but it’s true!) Do you know what your “grace gifts” are?

Romans 12:6–8 tells us some of them – serving, teaching, preaching, encouraging, giving, leading, and showing mercy. And there are many more. Think about your talents, your abilities, your desires, what you’re good at, what you like to do. God has gifted you with all those things, and He doesn’t want His gifts to sit around unwrapped or unused!

So go ahead. Enjoy your gifts! Employ your gifts! And don’t forget to say thank you!

Time For A Little R&R

RECOGNIZE
How has God given you good gifts to enjoy this year? What special “grace gifts” do you think God has given you to employ for Him?

RESPOND
How will you say “thank you” for the good gifts God has given? Who will you serve with your “grace gifts”?

LEGACY - Leaving Footprints To Follow - Study 2

TRIUMPH! – A Winning Life In A Losing World
LIVE THE LEGACY!

2 Timothy 1:1-7

My dad is built much like the great swimmer Michael Phelps, tall body, long arms and legs, large hand and feet. Commenting on his shoe size, he once said, “I can squeeze into a twelve, but a thirteen feels so good, I might as well wear a fourteen!” Big feet equal a big stride, and I remember walking tall and proud beside him, eagerly trying to match his every step. I recall walking behind him too – trying to follow those wide size 14s! That usually took place on Saturday afternoons in the spring, right after the fields had been plowed and a big rain had fallen. Our family hobby was hunting for Indian arrowheads, and the southern area of Alabama had been inhabited by various Native Americans who left many artifacts just waiting to be found! And so on those perfect arrowhead hunting days, we would pile into back of the pickup truck, drive to the nearest field, and hop right out, swinging our empty buckets and searching for a little point of white flint shining through the dark dirt. The soft damp dark dirt. It often seemed that I found myself sinking to my ankles, struggling to get anywhere fast. So I would follow my Daddy. As he walked across the field, his footsteps packed the supple soil into a solid surface that made my traveling much easier- as long as I followed in his footsteps. And so I did.

Footsteps. Following. Lives. Legacies. Big ideas that have big impacts for us in our world as they did for Paul in his as he began this letter to young Timothy. Timothy lived in Lystra, a rather rude and wild Roman outpost- town close to the mountains in Turkey. Paul picked up Timothy during his second missions trip, and they worked closely together for the next fifteen or so years. Paul often sent Timothy to check on and cheer on previously started churches. Sometimes he left Timothy in a city to teach and train the church leaders in correct doctrine and Christian living. As we read the two letters Paul wrote to Timothy, we easily see that Paul had mentored his protégé well. Timothy was following in Paul’s footsteps. He was Paul’s living legacy.

“Wait!” you say. “I thought a legacy was what was around when you weren’t.” No, a legacy is not simply what’s left when you’re gone; it’s how you live while you’re here. This came to life for me one day when my mother-in-law was visiting. “I’ll mop for you,” she said. “Yea!” I said and promptly retrieved the mop from the cleaning caddy before she recanted. As I handed it to her, she asked, “Where’s your mop bucket?” “I don’t have one.” “Well, how do you wash out your mop?” “I rinse it in the laundry room work sink.” “Why?” “Uh, because that’s why Mom always did.” It wasn’t the best reason, but it was the only one I had. (Which reminds me of the story of the man who was watching his wife make homemade bread. As she was placing the loaves in the baking pan, she pinched off a piece and laid it to the side. “Why do you do that?” he asked. She looked at him like he was a bit crazy and said, “Because that’s what my mother always did.” So he called his mother-in-law and asked her if she always pinched off a piece of dough and laid it to the side before baking her bread. “Why, yes!” she said. “Of course.” “Why?” he asked. “Because that’s what my mother always did.” So the man went to the nursing home to visit his wife’s grandmother. “Granny, did you always pinch off a piece of dough before baking your bread?” “Yes,” she answered. He asked, “Why?” And she replied, “Because the pan wasn’t big enough to hold it all!”)

There are reasons why we do what we do. And how we do what we do is what we leave for the ones coming behind. So how do we make sure our reasons are right? How do we forge footprints worth following? How do we live the legacy?

A close peek at Paul and Timothy can give us some helpful hints. As we get into the book of 2 Timothy, we will find that Paul gives Timothy much instruction and lots of advice. His words are full of tough training and good teaching. Lots of “do’s” and lots of “don’ts.” Clear directives for living a winning life in a losing world. Why was Timothy willing to listen and to live out what Paul said? Why would he follow those familiar footprints? Because of their relationship. The intentional connection Paul made with Timothy paved the way for his words to have weight. Listen to the beginning of his letter.

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.”

Timothy was Paul’s dear son. Not biologically but emotionally and spiritually. He was precious to Paul. Their intimate friendship was formed by shared priorities, experiences, and trust. Paul treasured Timothy and didn’t mind telling him so. As we desire to live a legacy of triumph for the ones looking up to us, we need to always make sure they know how much they are cherished. We need to hold onto them in love. Paul told Timothy he was a dear son and that he longed to see him again. Verse 4 says, “Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.” When they last parted, Timothy had wept. They most likely had been separated when Paul was arrested and put in prison. There in the loneliness of the Roman jail, Paul recalled Timothy’s tears. It’s neat how Paul uses the word tears. The word literally means “teardrops.” Paul wasn’t just saying, “I know you cried a bit when I left.” He was saying, “I can still see the teardrops rolling down your cheeks, and I so want to see you. My heart hurts because we’re apart. My heart hurts because you’re hurting. I want to be full of the joy we have when we’re together.” That’s love. That’s holding onto someone in love. The familiar saying “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” is very, very true. Jesus tells us to love each other as He has loved us. (John 15:12) Last time I checked, Jesus loved us by giving Himself for us – completely. That’s rather self-explanatory. Hold onto your cherished ones in love.

And hold onto them in your prayers. Paul tells Timothy in verse 3 that night and day he constantly remembers him in his prayers. The Greek word translated “remember” literally means “to hold onto.” Paul held onto Timothy in his prayers. He prayed for Timothy continually. No wonder he instructs us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “Pray without ceasing.” (Now I know that Paul spent a lot of time in prison and didn’t have many options for other activities, but he actually was not in prison when he wrote the letter to the Thessalonians!) Two of my favorite prayer verses are 1 Samuel 12:23 where Samuel and the Jewish people were discussing the desire for a king, and Samuel tells them, “As for me, far be it from me to sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you,” and Colossians 4:12 when Paul shares with the Christ-followers at Colossae that their friend Epaphras is always wrestling in prayer for them. Wrestling certainly gives the image of being all wrapped up with somebody.

I love the picture of holding onto someone in prayer. I wonder if, as Paul wrote those words to Timothy, he thought about the men who held onto him way back in Damascus, many years before. Paul had been confronted by Jesus and converted on his way into town, but his fire and his faith soon had the Jews wishing he was out of town, or better yet, out of life. Acts 9:24 says, “Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him.” Paul couldn’t safely go out the way he had come in, so his friends contrived a different plan. “They took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall,” Acts 9:25. As those men held the ropes secured to Paul’s escape basket, they didn’t know they were slowly lowering the greatest missionary the world would ever know. They didn’t know God would use him to spread the good news of Jesus all the way to Europe and eventually reach across the ocean to you and me. They didn’t know Paul would stand before kings and queens testifying about the King of Kings. All they knew was that they loved him. That Jesus had changed him. And that he needed them to hold onto him – all the way until they felt the gentle bump of the basket on the ground. The ones we love need us to do the same. We don’t know what plans God has for them. We don’t always understand His purposes or His ways. All we know is that we love them and that they need us to hold onto them in prayer. To continually lift them up to the Father in their different circumstances and situations. And they need us to keep holding onto them until we feel the God’s gentle bump letting us know that all is well.

Hold onto them in love. Hold onto them in prayer. Hold onto them in thoughts. Paul tells Timothy in verse 5 that he is reminded of his sincere faith. That just means Paul thinks about Timothy and his total trust in God’s truth. Paul thought much of Timothy and thought of Timothy much. We think about the people who are important to us. Or at least we should. We should always have them in mind and on our minds. In Philippians 2 Paul reminds us to be holding onto others in our thoughts. He tells us we should “in humility consider others better than ourselves. Each of us should look not only to our own interests but also to the interests of others.” (Phil. 2:3-4) I think he is trying to say that we shouldn’t think so much of ourselves or think of ourselves so much! Instead think of others.

Paul held onto Timothy in his love, his prayers, his thoughts, and Timothy knew it. As a result in verse 6 when Paul starts reminding Timothy of the what he needs to do and why he needs to do it, Timothy was eager to hear and to take it to heart. In the same way, when we wrap up the ones God has given us to cherish with love, prayer, and thoughts, they will be willing to listen to what we say and wanting to walk where we have stepped.

By the way, we are told in 1 Peter to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. So just why should we listen up and live that out? The reasons are too numerous to list exhaustively, but here are three good ones. First, Jesus holds onto us in love. John 15:9 tells us that He loves each of us in the same way that God the Father loves Him! Wow! He also holds onto us in His prayers. Hebrews 7:25 says that Jesus always lives to intercede (pray to the Father) for us. Talk about a direct line! And never forget that He holds onto us in His thoughts. Psalm 139:17-18 declares that God thinks of us a lot. How much is “a lot”? Here’s what it says. “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of the sand.” We live in Florida. We know about sand. Enough said.

We are being held onto by the One who lived the ultimate legacy of life. Let’s follow His footsteps and live that legacy for others. Throughout the years, my father’s footprints did much more than lead me to arrowheads; they were arrows themselves pointing me in the right direction to a life of triumph – to a winning life in a losing world. Others are watching and walking behind you. Keep in step with Jesus. Hold onto your precious ones in love, prayer, and thoughts. And each day you will leave footprints worth following – a legacy of truly living!

YOUR CONSCIENCE - Clear or Cloudy?

Devotion 3
9/7/08
2 Timothy 1:3

“I thank God, whom I serve… with a clear conscience…” 2 Timothy 1:3


I don’t particularly care for love bugs. I don’t want to deny any creature the enjoyment of a good relationship during their time here on earth, but perhaps if they paid a bit more attention while flying around looking for (or participating in) their mating rituals, not quite so many would end up losing their lives (and their loves) on my windshield! During the height of the season, I’ve often had to stop during a trip and clear them off so I could safely travel on!

Our windshield and our conscience are a bit alike. It’s best if they both stay clean! Some Windex, a few paper towels, and a bit of elbow grease will usually wash up our dirty windshields, but our own scouring and scrubbing can never leave our conscience sparkling clean. And yet, Paul tells Timothy that he serves God with a clear conscience. Does this mean that Paul never sinned? No, we know he did because he tells us in Romans 7 of his own struggle with sin. This doesn’t mean Paul never sinned, it simply shows that as a Christ-follower he had found the only cleaning solution for his sin –- confession.

We can’t clear up our conscience, but we can confess our sins. And when we do, God cleans us up. When it comes to sin, God gives us the gift of guilt and the cleansing of confession. 1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God cleans and clears our conscience with His forgiveness. God does not forgive us because He feels sorry for us or because we’re sorry. He forgives us because of His character and because of the cross. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful (that’s God’s character) and just (that’s the cross) to forgive us of our sins…”

In grace God has made us His own. His plan and desire is that we joyfully live in that relationship – constantly communicating and sharing with Him. Often as we go throughout our day, the splats and splotches of sin (yes – let’s call those wrong attitudes and actions what they really are) cloud our view of God and of His path for us. Sometimes we stop and confess “just enough” to see a little bit, and we carry on our journey, hoping we’re on the right side of the road and that nothing out of our limited view needs our attention! This restricted sight keeps up from enjoying the beauty of the scenery around us, from seeing ones who could use our help along the way, or from noticing things coming toward us that can hurt us. To fully see God and the full life He has for us, we must maintain a clear conscience. We don’t need partial confession. We need complete confession.

So please, don’t let anything cloud your conscience. Trust me, you’re not going to shock God with anything you tell Him. He’s heard it all! He died for it all! He will graciously forgive it all! If you are His child, nothing you do could ever change that relationship. But your unconfessed sin will surely cloud your fellowship and keep you from enjoying the sweetness of close intimacy with Him.

So don’t travel another minute without a completely clear conscience!
Stop and confess. Receive the cleansing of forgivenss. Then carry on in His grace!

Time For A Little R&R

RECOGNIZE
What is currently clouding your conscience? Ask God to start at your head (what you’re thinking) and work down to your toes (where you’re going) to show you the splats and splotches of sin that need cleaning.

RESPOND
Just do it. Confess what you know is keeping you from closeness with your Father. And thank Him for the faithfulness of His character and the justice of the cross.

Graceful Greetings

Devotion 2
9/4/08
2 Timothy 1:2

"To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."

How do you begin your notes or e-mails? I guess my Southern upbringing shines through in my correspondence because I find it difficult to just jump into business without first making a personal connection. Usually it’s something like, “Hi! Hope you’re having a good day!” Paul must have been a bit Southern because he starts his letter to Timothy with a greeting of “Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” Actually, Paul begins each of his New Testament letters with a greeting, and every single one includes the same word - GRACE.

Grace – it’s my favorite word. (Well, next to God and Jesus.) Grace is like air. We can’t live without it. We have to have it, and there’s no way we can get it for ourselves. Grace must be given – that’s why it’s a gift. God’s gift. Grace is God giving us good things we don’t deserve. Mercy is God NOT giving us the bad things we DO deserve. We need both, and thankfully, our wonderful God specializes in sharing them with His children.

Grace is the theme of the Bible all the way from Genesis’ beginning creation to Revelation’s ending invitation. And grace is God’s theme in our life stories too. There are so many ways God lavishes His grace on us. Ultimate grace was given at the cross when Jesus died to give us life we don’t deserve. And each moment we find ourselves amazed by God’s everyday grace that fills our lives, gives us strength, and holds us close.

The word grace is first used in the Bible in the story of Sarah, Abraham’s wife, Isaac’s mommy. Isaac’s old mommy. Isaac’s connvining-not-convinced mommy. Isaac’s chuckling-instead-of-trusting mommy. Isaac’s lying mommy. Oh yes, it’s all there. When Abraham was 75 years old and Sarah 65, God promised Abraham that one day they would have a son. Eleven years later, the cradle was still empty, so Sarah took matters into her own hands and suggested that Abraham try having a child by her maid. Well, that rendezvous produced a baby (and a bunch of problems) but not the promised blessing. So, thirteen years later, God appeared to Abraham and said that in a year Sarah would give birth to a son. I love how the Bible phrases what happened. “Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.” In other words, she was eavesdropping – big time!! (But who could blame her? It’s not every day the Lord shows up for lunch!) So Sarah heard and Sarah laughed. “Why did Sarah laugh? Is anything too hard for the Lord?” God asked Abraham. “I did not laugh,” she lied through her teeth! “Yes, you did laugh,” was God’s reply. But His answer showed up a year later as the 90 year old Sarah and the 100 year old Abraham heard the beautiful first cries of their bouncy baby boy. (Who, by the way, God had pre-named Isaac which means “he laughs”!) Genesis 21:1 says it this way, “The Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and He did for Sarah what He had promised.”

That’s grace. And it’s all God. “The Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and He did for Sarah what He had promised.” What did Sarah do? Nothing. (OK, I know labor isn’t “nothing” but…) Really, Sarah did nothing – except get gifts she did not deserve poured into her life. God was gracious. He said it. He did it. He promised it. He kept His promise.

Actually, when you think about it, what did Sarah do? Nothing but distrust, scheme, doubt, and lie. And God still gave her baby Isaac. Why? Because that’s grace. Grace is not based on who we are but on who God is. Grace is not a reward for our goodness; it’s a result of God’s goodness.

Grace. It’s what made us His. It’s what makes us like Him. It’s what keeps us with Him. No wonder Paul starts all his letters with the desire for his friends to experience God’s grace! What wonder God desires to give us His grace to experience! Ah, but that’s what makes grace, well…GRACE!

I guess all this makes, “Hi! Hope you’re having a good day,” sound kind of weak!!

TIME FOR A LITTLE R&R

Recognize
What “good gifts” has God given you in the past few days? (Remember grace comes in all sorts of shape and sizes. God is a very “varied” giver!)

Respond
Gratitude is our answer to grace. Say a prayer, write a poem, compose a song, do something that praises God for those good gifts of grace in your life. (And don’t forget to say thanks to the person God used if He gave you grace through someone else!)

Everyday Grace

The warmth of the sun as a new day begins,
The sweet smell of rain, a child’s toothless grin,
The touch of a friend, the taste of a tear,
Beat a rhythm divine and cause me to hear...

Your everyday grace flowing down from Your throne;
You fill up my life. God, You’ve made me Your own.
You pour out Your love; You show me Your face,
As I live out each moment in Your everyday grace.

Your blood-stained cross and the empty grave
Knock me to my knees, Lift my hands in praise;
For You give me life and You hand me hope.
You call my name and You draw me close,

In Your everyday grace flowing down from Your throne;
You fill up my life. God, You’ve made me Your own.
You pour out Your love; You show me Your face,
As I live out each moment in Your everyday grace.

PAUL WHO?

Devotion 1 - 9/2/08
2 Timothy 1:1

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.”

Has anyone ever left a message on your phone saying, “It’s me! Call me back!” and you wondered who “me” was? (Ok, I know. Thankfully these days Caller ID eliminates such distress, but work with me, you know the feeling!) Well, our friend Paul, who is writing this letter/book of the Bible we call 2 Timothy, left no doubt in the reader’s mind who the author was! The first word he wrote is “Paul.” It wasn’t egocentric – that was the custom of the day. (And hey, it let people know if they really wanted to keep on reading or not! You can admit it; you automatically delete e-mails from certain people without even reading them!)

But it wasn’t Paul’s name that caught my eye. It was the description he gave of himself. “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.” That’s like saying, “It’s me – Paul - a special messenger of the Promised One - Jesus. I didn’t just decide to be this on my own. No, this is God’s desire, His wish. And it lines up with His guarantee that Jesus is life!”

Paul’s succinct autobiography clearly shows both his priority and his purpose in life. “I’m Paul – one sent by God to share about Jesus!” How would you describe yourself in just two lines? In twenty-one words? Think about it.

Who is your priority in life? What is your purpose? Do you know? Does it show? How we live loudly answers those important questions. We might wonder a bit about what our priorities and purpose currently are, but we know what they should be. God’s desire and design for us is the same as His was for Paul. He’s chosen us as His own and commissioned us to share His life. The incredible truth is that He gives us the opportunity to live out this relationship and this responsibility daily through our families, friends, jobs, and hobbies!

So today, as you meet and greet the people God allows to come your way, don’t leave them wondering, “Now who was that?” Let your love, joy, and peace clearly display who you are and whose you are – one chosen by God to share about Jesus!

TIME FOR A LITTLE R&R

Recognize – Take a moment to ponder the truth that God desires you. You are His “by
the will of God.” God wants you! His desire for you is not based on your
performance or your perfection but simply on His plan. Wow! Hallelu Yah!
(Which is shortcut Hebrew for Praise God!)

Respond – Think about your plans for today. How will you specifically show who you are
and whose you are in those opportunities and responsibilities?

TRIUMPH! - A Winning Life In A Losing World Study 1

2 Timothy
(Tuesday September 2 Summary)

The Olympics have recently ended. This means we can finally get in bed at a decent hour, and actually have meals around the table again instead of the TV! But what fun they were! I found myself cheering, sometimes quite loudly, for the swimmers, the track stars, the gymnasts - passionately urging them to run faster, jump higher, or throw longer! I mean, really, who couldn’t help but cheer for Michael Phelps as he fought to win his eight races, or anxiously hope that Shawn Johnson would finally get her gold?!? And which of you didn’t fight back the tears as the weeping German weightlifter dedicated his victory to his wife, who died in a car accident a few months before Beijing?

Ah, the stories. Stories of enduring dreams and intense desires. Of devastating injuries and surprising comebacks. Of abject poverty and lavish affluence. Of opportunities seized and chances missed. Stories of tragedy. Stories of triumph. Stories that resonate within us and echo our own hopes, dreams, and fears. The stories of life.

And so here we are today. The stories of our lives as diverse as the stories of the many Olympic athletes. But just as they came together in a certain place at a specific time for the same purpose, so have we. They came to show off. We’ve done well to just show up! They came to be the best. We want to be our best, so we’ve come to get some help! Some help as we run this race of life.

This year we’re going to take a look at the book of 2 Timothy. We call it a book, but it’s really just a letter. A letter an old coach who was retiring wrote to his favorite athlete who had miles to go before his sleep! The wise coach knew his young protégé was frequently fearful, often weak, and in need of much encouragement and instruction. And so Paul, confined in the musty, dank cell of a Roman prison, penned these words to Timothy, who was ministering in Ephesus.

The verses in 2 Timothy are the last recorded words of Paul. He wrote this letter somewhere around 67 AD and was martyred only a short time later. Paul knew his time on earth was short. He knew his race was almost over. He knew he wouldn’t be there in person to offer help and support. So he wrote it down. I guess we could say that 2 Timothy is a condensed training manual from Paul to Timothy, now divinely passed on to us as Christ-followers. It’s a book about TRIUMPH – about living a winning life in a losing world.

But before we jump into the “How To,” let’s take a look at the “Who’s Who?” We have Paul – the fellow-runner and experienced coach. What a story lies behind his triumph! NBC would love to shoot a bio clip about him! Paul was born in the Tarsus, a rather distinguished city in southern Turkey, probably around the same time Jesus was born. His Hebrew name was Saul – Paul his Gentile (non-Jewish) name. Both have the same meaning – small. Maybe Paul was a preemie or just a wee little baby. Maybe his Mama (or his Daddy) simply liked the name! That we don’t know. What we do know is that they had big plans for their little boy. Paul’s father was a Pharisee – a member of the strictest, straightest, follow-all-the-rules-and-then-some group of Jews that were around. Little Paul would become one too. As a young boy he went to “elementary school” to memorize the Torah – the first five books of the Old Testament. And as all good lads his age, he learned a trade. Paul was taught to make tents out of goat’s hair cloth. He then headed off as a teenager to Jerusalem to study under the famous teacher Rabbi Gamaliel. Paul memorized the entire Old Testament and diligently studied not only what God had said but also what many others had said about what God had said and possibly exactly what God might have meant! Paul describes his own life at that time as zealous against what he thought was wrong and faultless in what he felt was right. (Philippians 3:6)

But everything changed as the clock neared noon one dusty day on the road to Damascus. A few years before man named Jesus had arrived on the scene. He had not been as educated as Paul was. He had not followed all the rules Paul obeyed. He had not taught all the things Paul had learned. But he had turned the world upside down. He said he was God’s Son – actually claiming to be God Himself. He said he was the Way, the Truth, the Life. That no one could come to God except through him. He said that God loved – loved so much that he gave. He gave himself as our sacrifice. He said that whoever believed would receive life. LIFE! Everlasting, never-ending, abundant life!

People had flocked to hear him. Some had even left everything to follow him! But not everyone had been fooled. No, maybe those unlearned commoners but not the members of Paul’s club. They weren’t fooled. They were furious. They tried to silence him with their threats, but he never stopped talking. They tried to trap him with their questions, but he turned the answers back on them. They fussed. They fumed. They listened and loathed. He kept right on healing, and teaching, and listening, and loving. Finally they had had enough. A greedy bribe. A garden betrayal. A sham of a trial. The shame of a crucifixion. And this Jesus was finally done with.

Or was he? Around Jerusalem there was talk. “He is risen! He is risen indeed!” Some were claiming to have seen him in person. Saying that He was no longer in the grave but had come back to life victorious over sin and death. Proclaiming that he had gone back to heaven and had promised to return to take those who were his to be with him forever!! Now these were the ones healing, teaching, praying, praising. And people were listening. This could not be!

So they killed Stephen – his bold words of truth were more than they could stand. And Paul was there, giving his approval, keeping an eye on the coats of the ones who hurled the lies and cast the stones. He now knew his mission. These disciples must be destroyed. And he was the man for the job. He went from house to house, dragging off men and women and putting them in prison. The Christians ran for their lives – moving to new towns but still sharing the same message. Jesus is life!

Paul heard fugitives were daring to live in Damascus, a Syrian town about 130 miles north of Jerusalem. Armed with the authority of the Jewish high priest, he traveled the six day journey with venomous passion, “breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.”

He almost made it.

His own words say it best. “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth!’”

Paul had seen Jesus. But he couldn’t see anything else. He was blind. The man who with crazed ardor violently hauled Christians off to prison was now slowly led by his own trembling hand to a simple house on Straight Street.

For three days Paul ate nothing, drank nothing, saw nothing. Then he heard a voice, the apprehensive but obedient voice of a believer named Ananias. “Brother Saul, Jesus - who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here - has sent me to you so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. God has chosen you to know his will and to see Jesus and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. Now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” (Acts 9:17, 22:14-16)

Paul stood up a changed man. His eyes were healed. His heart was whole. God’s grace captured and captivated him. And Paul never forgot. He lived out the next three decades of his life as a thank you to the One who mercifully had rescued him from eternal death and given him everlasting life. He began to share the truth of Jesus with anyone and everyone. He traveled to many cities in Turkey and Greece, sharing Jesus and starting churches. He supported himself by making tents out of goat’s hair cloth! (His dad probably told him that would come in handy one day!) The letters of encouragement and instruction he wrote to believers in cities like Corinth, Philippi, and Ephesus, and his correspondence with his friends Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, we treasure today in the New Testament. Luke, one of his traveling companions, recorded much of “Paul’s Excellent Adventure” in the book of Acts.

Paul’s life was great, but that doesn’t mean things were always good. He continually found himself at odds with Roman authorities and on the outs with the Jewish leaders. He spent many nights in dungeons and many days in danger. He was beaten with 39 lashes five different times and beaten with rods three times. He was stoned, shipwrecked, and snake-bitten. He spent a night and a day treading water in the ocean and many more traveling quickly to escape the current peril. Paul said he had been truly hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and afflicted. He had been cold, naked, abandoned, and burdened. But through the all tragedies and the triumphs, Paul said the best in this life could never compare with knowing Jesus and the worst in this life was worth it all.

And so as we begin 2 Timothy, we find our weary warrior interned in Rome, knowing that one day soon, his race on earth would be over, but fully confident that as he broke through that final finish line, he would run straight into the arms of his precious Savior. Paul said, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.”

So where does this leave us and to what does this lead us? I’ll be honest, it leaves me saying, “Wow! I really do need to heed Paul’s word to follow his example as he followed Jesus.” It leaves me saying, “Whoa! Do I truly recognize the grace God has given me in Jesus and am I responding with a life of gratitude?’

And to what does this lead us? Hopefully to worship. To absolute praise for the One who somewhere along the journey of life - as we were dead-set focused on doing our own thing (good or bad) - stopped us in our tracks, called us by name, and made us His own.

To what else does this lead us? To devotion and desire. Devotion to God – passionately loving Him with all that we are and purposefully listening to Him through His word and His works. And to desire to love others with His love and to share with them His life.

It’s time to run. Unlike the Olympians, we didn’t have to succeed in the trials to make the team. Jesus qualified us on the cross. By grace He’s placed us on the right track, heading in the right direction. He surrounds us. He supports us. He strengthens us. And He says to us, “Run! I’ve already won the victory for you, so run your race in TRIUMPH!”

On your mark. Get set. Go!