Titus 2

“But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.” (Titus 2:1)

We really cannot fully understand Paul’s message here if we take it out of the context of the whole letter. We need to first take a look back to the end of chapter one, to understand the contrast Paul is making here. It seems that the churches in Crete were being led astray by false teachers, who may have been making the claim that one must first become a circumcised Jew before one could follow the [Jewish] Christ. “For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced …” (ch. 1, vs. 10-11a) They may have even been charging a fee to believers to discover their “hidden” truths. They were apparently “teaching for shameful gain.”

Now in chapter 2, Paul turns the corner and makes a sharp contrast between these false teachers and the teaching he expected from Titus, and from the elders whom Titus would appoint. The standard he sets is that the older men in the church (not just the appointed elders) ought to set an example of Christ-like living for the younger men, and likewise the older women for the younger women.

The first question this brings to mind for me is whether I am sufficiently involved in the lives of younger men in the church to be an influence? Is “Hello, how you doin’?” in the sanctuary aisle sufficient to guide young men to nurture and treasure their young families? I question the wisdom of dividing Bible classes by age group, putting all the seniors in one group and all the younger adults in another. If we don’t mix, how will we influence?

Paul sums it up quite well starting in verse 7: “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech, …”. While that is equally applicable to all of us, it seems more than reasonable in this context to assume that there is a greater expectation of behavioral modeling from those of us who are older.

Paul sets a similar expectation in verses 9-10 for employees in their workplaces. There is no excuse for a Christian to be a poor, lazy or difficult employee. Jesus expects better of us, and as we have accepted Him as Savior, we have also accepted Him as Lord.

Paul began this chapter with the command “teach”. Now beginning in verse 11, he gets around to a quick summary of what we are to teach. It begins with “the grace of God”; we didn’t save ourselves! Indeed, we cannot! (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Jesus is the grace of God in human form, and He comes “bringing salvation for all people”. Sadly, that doesn’t mean that all people will be saved, but only those who have accepted the grace which Jesus brought for them.

But, Jesus does more than save us from our sins! Having saved us, He is “training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, …” (v. 12). In his letter to the Roman churches, Paul asked “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1) He immediately answers his own question: “By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (v. 2) These two aspects of discipleship are inextricably linked, as Peter declared to the assembled Jews on Pentecost. “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36) The difference between believing in the fact that Jesus is the Son of God and trusting Jesus as one’s Savior is the difference He makes in the way that we think, feel, live and interact. If what we believe doesn’t change how we live, we must ask ourselves whether we truly believe!

Are we “live[ing] self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age”? (v. 12) Has our faith made a difference in our lives? If your answer is “yes”, then go out and “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.” (v. 15)

Titus 1

Paul opens this personal letter to Titus by reminding him of the mission which Paul left to him, to complete Paul’s work in Crete and to appoint elders in each local church.

Every church needs local leadership. These churches had significant problems, as Paul explains in verses 10-16. “For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers … They must be silenced …”. Just in case there was any doubt that Paul was writing about new Christians, “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are … unfit for any good work.”. It is doubtful that any of these 1st-century problems will appear unfamiliar to 21st-century churches!

Before getting into the main point of this chapter, I’ll take one personal lesson from these verses. A true disciple of Christ must grow beyond belief in the saving work of Jesus. That belief must transform his manner of life. Without life transformation, simple belief in the fact of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins is empty and without saving effect. James wrote “Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (James 2:19) Paul wrote to the Roman church “… be transformed by the renewal of your mind …”(Romans 12:2). At Pentecost, Peter preached to the assembled Jews “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36) I simply cannot have Jesus as my Savior (Christ) without also accepting Him as my Lord.

So I must ask myself, daily, how am I doing? Am I really allowing Jesus to direct my steps? Does my faith transform my response to other drivers in Charlotte traffic? Does my faith transform my compassion for those in need, especially within our own community?

As we seek to grow in Christ, we need leaders to model, encourage and direct our growth. Elders model the attributes, attitudes and behaviors that we seek to develop. They are what we should all become.

So let’s take a look at the qualifications Paul spells out for elders in verses 6-9. I’ll format the text differently than we usually see it, hopefully to enhance our study and self-application.

"if anyone is …

above reproach,
the husband of one wife,
and his children are believers
and not open to the charge of debauchery
or insubordination

For an overseer, as God’s steward,

must be above reproach.
He must not be arrogant
or quick-tempered
or a drunkard
or violent
or greedy for gain,

but [must be]…

hospitable,
a lover of good,
self-controlled,
upright,
holy,
and disciplined.

He must …

hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught,

so that he may be able to …

give instruction in sound doctrine
and also to rebuke those who contradict it."

Which of those qualifications should we, as disciples of Christ, not seek to develop within ourselves? Is any faithful Christian content with being subject to reproach? Any of you men want to be the husband of three wives (with three credit cards)?

Who doesn’t earnestly want their children to be believers? Who really believes we can embrace debauchery and Christ at the same time? Who amoung us is content with being insubordinate to our leadership?

Are any of us OK with being arrogant, or quick-tempered? Does anyone believe we can arrive at Heaven’s gates drunk, or given to fits of violence? Will those gates open to the materially greedy?

Who doesn’t love a person who is hospitable, who loves the good with self-control? Who doesn’t respect someone who is upright, holy and disciplined?

Don’t we all seek to live within God’s holy will? Don’t we all seek knowledge, wisdom and understanding so that we can share what we’ve learned, both with those who also seek to know, and with those who need re-direction back upon the right path.

Yes, these are the qualifications for the most mature, most prepared among us whom God has made ready for leadership. These are the qualifications of the people whom we should seek out. But these are also the qualities which every disciple of Christ should be developing, imitating and following the leadership of men who have already grown and developed these admirable qualities.

My lesson for myself today is to ask “In which of these Christ-like qualities am I lacking? Where do I need to grow? Whom can I follow and imitate to achieve such growth?”

2 Timothy 4

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; …” (v. 1-2a)

We don’t know for sure, but this could have been Paul’s final communication to Timothy. Paul was imprisoned in Rome, and his prospects weren’t looking good. “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.” (v. 6) So, with this dire situation in mind, what did he want his final admonition to Timothy to be? Preach the Word!

If it was that important to Paul, perhaps it should be that important to me as well. I look around me, and everyone I see is bound for an appointment with Jesus at the final judgement. Have I given them the opportunity they need to be prepared?

Paul knew that not everyone would listen to him, or would want to hear what he had to say. “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.” (v. 3) That didn’t stop him from preaching the Word. He knew Timothy would encounter the same; that didn’t stop him from encouraging Timothy to preach the Word.

So what is holding me back? Is it the thought that some people simply don’t believe God exists, or don’t believe He is relevant to their lives? Paul’s response to this is “Preach the Word!”.

Perhaps it is that people do believe, but they’re busy, focused on other aspects of their lives, raising children or building their careers. They just aren’t ready yet to have a serious spiritual discussion. Paul’s response to this is “Preach the Word!”.

Maybe it’s because I’m fearful of the questions people may ask, or the objections they may raise. I fear that I don’t know the Bible well enough to respond effectively to these questions or objections. If I don’t, I have failed to “do my best to present myself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (ch. 2, v. 15) Paul’s response to this is “Preach the Word!”.

I’m doing a lot of soul-searching and repenting, even as I’m writing these words. I pray that as you’re reading, I’m not the only one.

2 Timothy 1

If you were to be incarcerated on death row, to whom would you write a letter? What would you say? Would you seek comfort, or try to give comfort?

This is the situation Paul found himself in, as he wrote this letter to his “beloved child” Timothy. Some scholars believe this to be the very last letter written by Paul. We should pay special attention to it because, as is often the case when people are speaking or writing their “last words”, the situation strips away matters of lesser importance, and focuses our thoughts on those things the speaker or author holds most dear.

Let’s take a look at a few verses in chapter one, and see what lessons we can learn from Paul’s final letter.

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God …” (v. 1) Paul didn’t choose to be an apostle (Acts 9); God chose him and appointed him in a most dramatic fashion! We may have none of the drama in our lives, but whatever we are, we are by the will of God. Are you a husband? You are a husband by the will of God! Are you a father? You are a father by the will of God! Are you an elder or a deacon? You are … well, you get the idea. Does this thought change our attitudes about how we accept our responsibilities in our life roles? It certainly should. To take just one example, if I think I’m a husband because I attended a church youth rally and met a cute girl there, I still may have a sense of responsibility for our marriage, but it wouldn’t be the same. If I realize I attended that event and met that girl by the will of God, however, I have the best reason in all creation to take my responsibility totally seriously, and to be totally thankful for the gift He gave me!

What are you, by the will of God? How does that make you think differently about the role into which God has placed you?

“I thank God … as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.” (v. 3) I’m going to step on my own toes here; I don’t pray for people as I should! Yes, I do pray for people, but I’m not yet achieving “night and day”, as did Paul. The lesson I’m finding for myself in this verse is to keep on, with God’s help, striving to be consistent in doing what I know I ought to be doing: living in a constant state of prayer. For whom do you need to pray right now?

“God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (v. 7) I’ve always had a tendency to approach the world with a timid spirit, avoiding confrontation and conflict. The biggest problem with that is when I’m avoiding a conflict that would have never happened; it was always just in my mind. I believe, for most people, the most significant hindrance to evangelism is our fear of negative reactions. I need to repent of my fear; to realize that God has given ME a spirit of power and love; to realize that someone who rejects my effort at evangelism isn’t rejecting me, they are rejecting God.

“… our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (v. 10) We all need a reminder of the awesome, glorious gift which God has so graciously given us. For believers, death is abolished. Yes, there may be a physical “death” yet ahead, but for us, that death is but a doorway to our resurrection into life and immortality! Now THAT is good news worth sharing!!

What lessons and life applications will you take home from 2 Timothy 1?

1 Timothy 6

Paul is wrapping up his letter to Timothy. We see him giving some final advice, and his affection for Timothy is quite evident as he closes this letter. I perceive four primary topics in this chapter, so we’ll consider them in four sections.

“Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.” (v. 1)

Paul begins with a brief (2 verses) instruction regarding relationships between bondservants and their masters. A “bondservant” in Paul’s day may have been an employee, or may have been a slave. The term can apply to either. Today, we would read it as “employee”, although depending upon where you work, there might not be as much difference as you would like!

Although employees might work in less-than-ideal conditions, Paul encourages all to “work heartily, as for the Lord …” (Col. 3:23), so they will retain a good and honorable reputation, both for themselves and for the God they serve. For me, remembering that I’m upholding the reputation of my Savior among the unsaved is a big help to continue working for an unjust boss with a quiet and gentle spirit.

“If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.” (v. 3-4a)

Paul again takes up the issue with false teachers, which appears to have been quite a problem in Ephesus. Why would someone knowingly teach falsehood within Christ’s church? Paul suggests a motive, that these false teachers are “… imagining that godliness is a means of gain.” (v. 5b) They seem to have been offering to teach the Ephesians “the rest of the story”, as Paul Harvey would have put it, but only when they were paid for their “special” knowledge.

Instead of temporal gain, Paul instructs that “godliness with contentment is great gain”, because “we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.” (v. 6,7) Paul would have whole-heartedly agreed with a former pastor who said he had never seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul trailer! True “wealth” is found in learning to be content with whatever God chooses to bless us with.

Paul warns that “those who desire to be rich fall into temptation” (v. 9). Please note: he’s not warning about being rich, but about desiring to be rich. Desire is an indicator that (1) you believe God’s blessings are insufficient, and (2) you deserve to have more. Neither of these ungodly ideas places you in a right relationship with God. Paul goes on to say that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” (v. 10). Again, note that it’s not the money that is evil; it is the love of money which is evil. Jesus said “You cannot serve God and money.” (Matt 6:24) You can have only one Lord, one Master. Who or what will it be?

Paul circles back to the wealthy a bit later in verses 17-19, instructing them to guard their hearts against pride, and to use their wealth in God’s service, “to be generous and ready to share.”

Paul finishes up his letter to his beloved son in the faith with final encouragements to “flee these things [pride, false teachings, pursuit of wealth]. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith.” (v. 11-12, my notes). Paul betrays his deep love for Timothy when he writes “But as for you, O man of God, …”

What higher ambition can we have than to live our lives in such a manner that people close to us will refer to us as “a man of God”?

As we close our study of 1 Timothy, my take-away from the book is a renewed commitment to live a life that brings honor to the Christ Jesus who went to Calvary in my place, in daily service to the God whose grace saves me for all eternity, filled with the Holy Spirit of God, His gift to me.

How will you apply these six chapters to your life?

1 Timothy 4

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.” (v. 1-5, ESV)

There will always be false teachers. God warns us to be watchful for such. Paul seems to have specific false teachings in view here, those of forbidding to marry and abstaining from specified foods, but he also establishes a pattern for us to look for.

False teachings will either forbid things that God has not forbidden, or allow things that God has forbidden. Either way, the goal is to establish control over people, superseding God in their lives, minds and hearts.

Either way, the remedy is the same. Know God’s Word, follow God’s Word, and always use God’s Word to judge the validity of any teaching you hear. If the teaching doesn’t align with the Bible, walk away.

“Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;” (v. 7)

Isn’t this what temporal life is supposed to be all about … preparing oneself for eternity? Step one is, as mentioned above, knowing God’s Word. But that’s not enough! Beyond knowing God’s Word, we must incorporate His Word into our minds and hearts. It’s not enough to simply know what God wants me to do. I must actually do it. At this point, however, I question whether even that is enough! I really should be doing what God wants me to do, not simply because I know I should, but because that’s my first thought, my first instinct.

Just to take a minor, silly example to illustrate the thought, what are my instinctive reactions to other drivers in Charlotte traffic? Would I say the same things about them if Jesus was sitting in the passenger seat? I tend to forget … He is already there! I write often about applying God’s Word to my life. There are really two levels of application. Doing the right thing is only level one. Doing the right thing out of the right heart is level two, and that’s where I still need a lot of work!!!

“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” (v. 12)

No one is going to despise me because of my long-past youth, but the admonition remains valid; I need to continue to set an example in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. Even more, now that youth has been replaced by sparse grey hair and creaky bones, God expects me to be an example to the world around me; within the church, the neighborhood, and the community.

To be an example in speech and conduct is to say and do as Jesus would have said and done in my present circumstances. To be an example in love, faith and purity is to say and do out of the heartfelt motivations of Jesus; to align my heart with His.

How do I do that? I don’t know … I’m not there yet! I believe, however, that living in constant prayer as Jesus did is a good start, so that’s where I will try to start.

“Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.” (v. 16a)

Paul reminds Timothy, and me, that we must always be mindful of our speech, conduct and teaching. We won’t always get it right, but we need to recognize before we get too far off-track, and set things right again.

This might be the value in an end-of-day meditation and prayer. With whom did I interact today? How did that go? Am I satisfied with my words and actions, or wishing for a re-do? Did I know God’s Word sufficiently to share the right scripture at the right time, in the right tone, to be a blessing in someone’s life? Has someone’s thoughts been turned towards God because of my interaction with them?

Tough questions! I pray that, at the end of the day, I will have satisfactory answers. I pray that you will also.

1 Timothy 2

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.” (v. 1)

If I had to sum up this chapter in one word, that word would be “pray”. Paul encourages believers to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). He writes that we should pray for our government and our secular leadership, and points out that such prayer is for our own benefit, that we may have peaceful, quiet lives.

We should pray because God is pleased when we do (v. 3). He may not always give us what we ask for, but He always gives us what we really need! Any parent of a small child knows not to give the child everything he/she wants; compared to God’s wisdom, we are all small children.

While the first seven verses may be applied to all prayers at all times, the remainder of the chapter seems to be focused upon corporate worship. Our prayers when we come together for worship should be led by men with the proper attitude, ready for submission to their Creator. A man in the midst of an angry dispute with another is not ready to pray, and should not be permitted to lead an assembly in prayer.

Verses 9 through 15 appeal to women in the worship assembly, to clothe and adorn themselves in a manner appropriate to the reason they’re in the assembly, to give honor to and worship God. I believe Paul would agree that the specifics may vary from time to time and place to place, but the foundational principle remains the same: for both men and women, worship is all about God, it’s not about me!

Although Paul is writing about prayer and worship here, he does mention in passing some important doctrinal matters which ought not to be missed. In verse 4 he writes “[God our Savior] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Some churches will teach that Jesus didn’t die for all, but only for the elect. This is the “limited atonement” doctrine, which is interpreted to mean that if I’m not among “the elect”, then it doesn’t matter what I believe; there’s no salvation for me anyway. Both Paul and Peter would reject that idea. Paul wrote “[Christ Jesus] gave himself as a ransom for all” (v. 6). Peter wrote “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

How shall I apply this personally? If God doesn’t write anyone off, then neither should I! It’s not up to me to decide who’s worth my time and effort to teach the gospel; God expects me to present His message to anyone He brings into my life.

Stepping back from the doctrinal aside and looking at Paul’s broader message in this chapter, I still find much to apply! No matter how much I pray, it probably isn’t enough. God is pleased when I pray to Him, and my life is blessed by doing so. Why would I ever put an upper limit on that?

Am I frustrated and complaining about civic government leadership? It doesn’t seem to matter whether the leadership is Democratic or Republican … I always find something to complain about, and I believe that’s true for most of us. But, how dare I complain about a politician for whom I have not prayed?! God hears both my prayers and complaints.

In corporate worship, what is my attitude going in? Where are my thoughts? Am I irritated with my family for running late, or annoyed with Charlotte traffic? I need to pray for inner peace, that I might be ready to worship the Creator, and worthy of the privilege to do so.

1 Timothy 1

Paul’s letters to Timothy (and to Titus) differ from his earlier letters, in that he wrote them to individuals instead of writing to churches; specifically, to pastors to guide and encourage them. We can learn from them as well; as mature believers, we should be leaders within our churches, whether or not we have any specific title office of leadership.

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, …” (verse 1)

As best I know, this is the only time Paul referred to his apostleship as a “command”. I don’t know why he used a different phrase here, but the thought that comes to my mind is that, anytime God presents us with an opportunity or an appointment, we really should see it as a command. What’s the difference? When God presents me with an unbelieving neighbor who’s curious about my faith, the difference between opportunity and command is too minor to be worth consideration. What God makes possible for me to do, I should simply do.

“remain at Ephesus…” (verse 3) Apparently, Timothy had communicated his desire to join Paul, his beloved mentor, but Paul had work for him to do in Ephesus. Perhaps one of the most important was to “charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine”. Without constant vigilance, it’s far too easy to wander away from God’s Word and begin teaching our own thoughts, our own speculations, our own ideas. Pastors and elders need to be on guard against such a temptation in every church!

Apparently, some folks at Ephesus liked to “devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies” (v. 4). Oh, how we love to hear ourselves talk! We need to occasionally hear a voice out of the clouds, reminding us “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” (Luke 9:35) This is why I believe the best way to study the Bible is to simply read the text, discern what God wants to teach me through it, and ask myself how I will apply it to my life. Books about Biblical topics can be a good supplement, but they will never take the place of God’s own words.

Paul knew that Ephasus had a problem with people “desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding …” (v. 7). So do we. That is why it was necessary for James to write “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” (James 3:1) Personally, I confess that at times as a less-mature Christian, I wanted to be a teacher. No more. I now understand the responsibility carried by teachers, and fear to join their ranks.

“the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient” (v. 9) Paul got into a brief discussion (verses 8-11) of “the law”, which for him meant the Judaic Law, or Old Testament as we call it. He didn’t really mean that the law doesn’t apply to the just, but rather that the penalties of the law are to warn and discipline the un-just.

“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, …” (v. 12) Paul is thankful for being given his ministry, despite his past. This is an important principle for us: being “faithful” as Paul referred to himself, does not mean living without sin. It means being constantly striving in the right direction, and depending upon Jesus for His grace and mercy when we do fall short (and we will!). Paul considered himself the “foremost” of sinners (v. 15), but consider all that God accomplished through his work!

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners!” (v. 15) As Paul reminded Timothy of the primary message and mission of the church, so should we be reminded to remain focused on this central and most important truth. This is a most opportune season to renew our own message and mission, to carry the good news to our neighbors, our community, an our world …

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners!”

Thanksgiving 2025

As we approach this uniquely American holiday, I’d like to take a moment and reflect upon what the Bible has to say about giving thanks, and consider the impact upon our spiritual lives.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Paul seems to recognize here that there will be times when we don’t feel thankful. Corrie ten Boom didn’t feel particularly thankful as a prisoner of the Nazis in a death camp, until her sister Betsie pointed out the freedom they had from close observation by the guards, who were repulsed by the fleas.

Sometimes we give thanks, as Betsie did, to cheer ourselves in difficult or dangerous circumstances. Sometimes we give thanks as a witness to friends around us, to encourage them or redirect their thoughts to our Lord and Savior. When we truly and honestly consider all that God has done for us, and all that He continues to do for us each day, it’s really hard to find anything to complain about!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34

“I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.” Psalm 7:17

“I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” Psalm 9:1

“Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:25

“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15

I’m thankful for so many things; one of them is the opportunity to take a special day to be thankful, to consider the vital need in my life to recognize my blessings and be thankful, and to give praise and honor to the Source of all my blessings!

2 Thessalonians 3

Paul has two major points to cover in this chapter, and we’ll quote significant verses as we cover each. The first point we want to examine is Paul’s admonition to those who would live off the generosity of others.

“For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.”

Paul’s not going easy on these folks! It seems, according to most commentators, that some of the Thessalonians had confused the concept that Jesus could return at any time with the belief that He would return quickly – so quickly that they just quit their jobs and sat by daily, waiting. Two thousand years later, we still see people doing that.

I’m especially familiar with verse 10 in this passage: “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” My mother quoted that one to me frequently, when I was having difficulty with motivation for my chores!

Let’s not get ourselves confused over this passage, either. Paul is NOT talking about people with an inability to work. Those with an illness or infirmity preventing them from fully caring for themselves need our help, and our Lord encourages us to help those in genuine need. Paul is only writing here about those who have chosen dependency over honest work.

Paul’s second point, and the one I really want to focus upon today, is about prayer:

“Finally, brothers, pray for us …” (verse 1)

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” (verse 16)

Paul both seeks prayer for himself and his partners in ministry, and prays for the beloved Thessalonian church. He expresses his total dependency upon God, through prayer, and encourages his brothers in Christ to live in the same manner.

The question that brings to mind is this: What part of your life are you trying to live on your own strength, your own wisdom and in your own guidance?

If you’re running a business, are you seeking God’s guidance daily to guide your decisions and guard your heart?

If you’re married, are you asking God’s help daily to show you how to love your spouse more effectively and completely; to be the spouse he/she needs you to be?

If you’re struggling with an addition or a sinful habit, are you trying to overcome that fault in your own strength?

Whatever your struggle to overcome or your goal to achieve may be, Paul would encourage you to address it with God on your side, carrying your burdens to him daily in prayer. That’s not just in 2 Thessalonians. Paul asked for prayers for his ministry in 2 Corinthians 1:11, Colossians 4:3, and in his first letter to the Thessalonians, in chapter 5 verse 25.

If Paul, an appointed apostle of Christ, found himself so dependent on prayer, it’s reasonable to think that I could benefit from more dependency upon prayer in my life. Maybe you could also.

You might find this book to be a help and encouragement in strengthening your prayer life: A Praying Life, by Paul E. Miller.