The New Testament
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Devotional
Weekly Bible Devotion By Books
Jan.8- 13 2024
Enter the presence of the Lord-
(All) The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
(Men)He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
(Women)he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
(Men) Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
(All)I will fear no evil,for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
(Women) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
(Men)You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
(All) Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
(Psalm 23, NIV)
Confession
Christ Jesus, Lord, our Great Shepherd, our lives belong to you. Thank you that you created us. You have continued your multi-goodness over us throughout our life journey. At our old age, you promised that you will continue to carry us, bear us, and save us. You even prepared a holy and beautiful city for us to be with you forever. You will wipe away every tear in our eyes in this earth years. Our good Great Shepherd, lead us as we go on our lives. Thank you and praise you. We pray in your name. Amen.
Scripture Reading 1 Timothy
3:2-7 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
3:16 Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
4:1-2 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
6:6-10 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Thoughts to Share: Godliness
The Christ-followers in Ephesus faced a few cultural challenges: local folk religions, Judaism law teachers, Gnosticism, church leaders, and the materialism. They respectively in different ways distorted and watered down the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the foundation of new person, new life, and new community in Jesus Christ. It was under such a pressing time that Paul strategically sent Timothy to station in Ephesus to lead, to nurture, to build, and to sustain those Christ-followers. He hoped that doing so could stabilize the growth of believers and secure a strong base to advance the Gospel of Jesus in its surrounding area.
Paul gives rather clear instructions centering in the godliness to Timothy’s upcoming pastoral leadership. The godliness will be expressed in how Timothy shall conduct himself and the business in the house of God. We see-
1)Remember your identity as a good servant of Christ Jesus.
2)Hold faith and a good conscience. Knowing this: the church of living God is the pillar and buttress of the truth. The mystery of godliness has been revealed in Jesus Christ.
3)Be aware of false teachers: Name them. Reject their teachings and their ways of life. Be ready to wage a good warfare against them.
4)Pray, pray, and pray: Pray in supplication, intercessions, and thanksgiving. Pray for all in high positions. Pray for all who are to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who is the only mediator between God and people.
5)Instruct Christ-followers to dress and act properly to distinguish themselves from other non-Christ worshipers.
6)Select and place leaders carefully: See their marital relation and family. See their ability of managing household. See their temperament and emotional health. See their ethics. See their intellectual capability. See their social relations. Make them understand their roles in relating to the body of Christ.
7)Care your self well: Train yourself for godliness. Set your hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people while you toil, strive. Be an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. Have sound perspective of wealth and live simple. Be content and flee from the love of wealth. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Take in hold of the eternal life.
8)Understand your work: Devote yourself to the public reading of scriptures, to exhortation, to teaching. Practice your gifts and immerse yourself in them. Learning how to relate to and take care of the old and the young. Handle widows and controversial elders wisely. Warn and guide the rich.
The cultural challenges on the churches today are as strong, diverse, and subtle. It is easy to drift away from our essential truth and focus. As Paul points out, ministers’ work is hard, like a fight. The ministers’ calling is to fight a good fight and guard the deposit entrusted to us. The ministers today should find encouragement and counsel when they embark their pastoral assignment and when they become discouraged and confused on their pastoral paths.
Prayer Suggestions
Lord of the Church, it is a great honor to be called as your servants and to be entrusted with your word. You truly know the reality of the church surrounded by the cultures in the world. Thank you for this letter so that we can come back to it again and again for wisdom and strength. Help us to fix our eyes on you and set our minds on you. Help us to open the richness of your Gospel to our generations so that your kingdom will be advanced further and further. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ.
Benedictions:
Grace be with you (6:20)
Prayer Request
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