Daily Bread 2010 - 1 Timothy 6
Paul's Charge to Timothy
11But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith.
Grace be with you.
Even in Paul’s age, materialism was rampant and people within the church were in its grip. Some back then were even perverting the gospel for financial gain, and equating godliness with wealth. Paul in contrast states, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” And Paul reminds Timothy that we bring nothing into this world and leave with nothing.
True riches are found in what we have done with the deposit of faith entrusted to us as a gift. Faith is a gift, and what we do with our faith is our gift back to God and to the world. As we live out our faith obeying God and trusting in His promises we are laying up for ourselves treasures for the coming age. And I love this phrase, “So that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
We were all taught to pursue the good life when we were younger. But many are misled to believe that the good life is all about cars, houses, boats and having things at our disposal. And yet, we see so many examples of people like this who though they have these things are miserable. Just read the news and see the latest sports or entertainment mogul who has gone on to a life of self destruction, while supposedly having the good life.
But Jesus said, “I have come to give you life and life abundantly.” And this life consists of not what we can consume, but how we can give ourselves away. We begin to learn, hopefully sooner vs. later, that a success is more about significance and a meaningful pursuit of something that will outlast us, than the latest toy. Of course there is nothing wrong with enjoying these things, but too many are living for them.
How are you investing your one and only life? Are you doing that for which you have been called to do? Have you taken time to listen to the still, small voice of God for direction as to what that may be? Are you so busy that you are not sure what you are doing?
Heavenly Father, help us to create space in our lives to re-discover what matters most and then make the changes in our life to re-calibrate what we do to honor and pursue that which have called us to. Help us to take hold of the life that is truly life in Your name, Amen.
11But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith.
Grace be with you.
Even in Paul’s age, materialism was rampant and people within the church were in its grip. Some back then were even perverting the gospel for financial gain, and equating godliness with wealth. Paul in contrast states, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” And Paul reminds Timothy that we bring nothing into this world and leave with nothing.
True riches are found in what we have done with the deposit of faith entrusted to us as a gift. Faith is a gift, and what we do with our faith is our gift back to God and to the world. As we live out our faith obeying God and trusting in His promises we are laying up for ourselves treasures for the coming age. And I love this phrase, “So that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
We were all taught to pursue the good life when we were younger. But many are misled to believe that the good life is all about cars, houses, boats and having things at our disposal. And yet, we see so many examples of people like this who though they have these things are miserable. Just read the news and see the latest sports or entertainment mogul who has gone on to a life of self destruction, while supposedly having the good life.
But Jesus said, “I have come to give you life and life abundantly.” And this life consists of not what we can consume, but how we can give ourselves away. We begin to learn, hopefully sooner vs. later, that a success is more about significance and a meaningful pursuit of something that will outlast us, than the latest toy. Of course there is nothing wrong with enjoying these things, but too many are living for them.
How are you investing your one and only life? Are you doing that for which you have been called to do? Have you taken time to listen to the still, small voice of God for direction as to what that may be? Are you so busy that you are not sure what you are doing?
Heavenly Father, help us to create space in our lives to re-discover what matters most and then make the changes in our life to re-calibrate what we do to honor and pursue that which have called us to. Help us to take hold of the life that is truly life in Your name, Amen.
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