Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson

2  You then, my son,  be strong  in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.   2  And the things you have heard me say  in the presence of many witnesses  entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.   3  Join with me in suffering,  like a good soldier  of Christ Jesus.   4  No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.   5  Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown  except by competing according to the rules.   6  The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.   7  Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. Paul again admonishes young Timothy to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  Jesus gives us "saving grace", but he also gives us "staying grace".  Relying on grace means relying on the gift we have been given in the Holy Spirit.  Grace is not only unmerited

2 Timothy 1:6-9 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.   7  For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,  but gives us power,  love and self-discipline.   8  So do not be ashamed  of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner.  Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel,  by the power of God.   9  He 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. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. Paul's second letter to Timothy is both an encouragement and an admonition for him in his calling.  Paul was very close to young Timothy and recalls the tears they shared when they parted.  But now he wants to remind Timothy of the importance of the Holy Spirit that was given to him when Paul committed him to the Lord's work. Paul laid hands on Timothy as a sign of God's Spirit anointing

1 Timothy 6:3-5  These are the things you are to teach and insist on.   If anyone teaches otherwise  and does not agree to the sound instruction  of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,   they are conceited  and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words  that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions   and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth  and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. As Paul closes up his letter to Timothy, he returns to something he mentioned in the first chapter.  He tells Timothy to insist on teaching which is in accord with what Jesus taught.  Paul is warning Timothy about those who misuse the Word of God.  They use it pridefully to make arguments about things unrelated to the essentials of the faith.  They use it in ways that create division and friction between people.  In particular Paul teaches against the false teache

1 Timothy 5 5  Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2  older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. 3  Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4  But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5  The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6  But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7  Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. 8  Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. As Paul closes out his letter to his protege Timothy, he f

4  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.   3  They forbid people to marry  and order them to abstain from certain foods,  which God created  to be received with thanksgiving  by those who believe and who know the truth.   4  For everything God created is good,  and nothing is to be rejected  if it is received with thanksgiving,   5  because it is consecrated by the word of God  and prayer. Paul again warns Timothy to be on guard for false teachers.  He says "the Spirit says".  The Holy Spirit gives us discernment as to false teaching and false prophecy.  The Spirit exposes when error is slipping into the church, especially in regard to the gospel.  In this case Paul talks about those who will abandon the faith by following deceiving spirits and taught by demons.  Paul is

Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons 3  Here is a trustworthy saying:  Whoever aspires to be an overseer  desires a noble task.   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 [ a ]  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. As we said this letter was sent to Paul's protege Timothy, who was overseeing the church in Ephesus. In this chapter Paul outlines the qualities l

2  I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers,  intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—   2  for kings and all those in authority,  that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness  and holiness.   3  This is good, and pleases  God our Savior,   4  who wants  all people  to be saved  and to come to a knowledge of the truth. In this chapter Paul focuses on the importance of public prayer.  And specifically not just praying for others within the body of Christ, but for ALL people. , First, Paul teaches them  WHEN to pray. Paul says, "first of all".  Prayer should be a #1 priority in the body of Christ. Praying first shows a dependence on God versus only when we are in trouble.    Next, Paul describes HOW to pray with different kinds of prayers.  Petitions are when we are asking God for something. It is also called " supplication ", where we are asking God to provide for our needs.  " Praye r" probably refers the g

Timothy Charged to Oppose False Teachers 3  As I urged you when I went into Macedonia,  stay there in Ephesus  so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines  any longer   4  or to devote themselves to myths  and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations  rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith.   5  The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart  and a good conscience  and a sincere faith. 6  Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. 7  They want to be teachers  of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. Timothy was Paul's protege.  He traveled on missionary trips with Paul, and Paul was so confident of Timothy's pastoral skills and leadership that he left him in charge of the church at Ephesus.  This was a big and important church in a key area.  In Ephesus among those in the Christian community there was a tendency t

2 Thessalonians 3:6-10 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,  we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from  every believer who is idle and disruptive  and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.   7  For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.  We were not idle when we were with you,   8  nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked  night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.   9  We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,  but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.   10  For even when we were with you,  we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work  shall not eat.” In the closing chapter of Paul's 2nd letter to the Thessalonians, Paul gets very practical.  He addresses the issue of "idleness". And it seems that specifically he is addressing those in the community who had grown lazy and also we