Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.
1 Timothy 6:20-21

In this final instruction in 1st Timothy there is clear instructions to avoid the thinking of the “rich” in earthly possessions.  One of the discussions I most often have with unChristian friends is one regarding money and wealth.  Where I see my needs as ones relative to the ministry God has called us to, they see things differently.

For a long time I chased the $ and the dream of becoming rich and in my process of  trying to “provide for my family” I found myself destroying the very family relationship I was trying to “sustain.”  Not that it wouldn’t be easier if money wasn’t a constant battle… but when placed in proper perspective the financial needs of this family are being met.  Now it is MY responsibility to make sure the emotional and spiritual needs of this family are being met as well.

I have books on how rich people think, how they act, how they got rich and how they continue to get richer.  Good reading and really good knowledge for the business responsibility in my life.  however, when dealing with the spiritual needs of my family they have little bearing.    My instruction has to be from that which is central to our lives (or should be) the completion of the Holy Spirit’s revelation in the form of the Living Word of God. It is here that we must pursue the knowledge of “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11) and it is  here that we must learn to “father” my children.

Now for the shift of thought, this is intended for the Pastor’s heart and it is an amazing thing to see how my relationship with my family can be reflected in the ministry God has called me to.  To work with people from all aspects of life it is not a matter of rich vs. poor it is a matter of family.  The same correction, the same scripture, the same teaching the same instruction from the same completed Word of God.  This is what we were called to preach/teach/sustain in the Grace that is given to us.  This is where we live, in the present age, looking to a future land and home in heaven.  Grace.

My prayer today is:
Lord, speak your word through me as I deal with the emotional and spiritual needs of those around me.  Help me to see your Glory being made manifest in these your children and the working of You through my frail hands.  Lord that you would be king of my life and help me to share that necessity with those around me through your Word.  That your instruction would not just stop with my head and lips but would permeate my heart and being so that I can be used, giving God all the glory.  Amen.

Complacency:
self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies

Yeah I know it is a negative definition but it is something that I am more aware of.   I don’t like to “shoot from the hip” but I can do it and it is a value when dealing with people struggling with their own faith, however finding ourselves relying on this method is a sign of complacency.   We are to be ready to answer for our faith but we do not “arrive” in our study to the point where we can say we have learned all there is to know. Not on earth anyhow!

1 Peter 3:15
But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
Emphasis mine

Also I find that when we are NOT thirsty for the WORD of God is a sign of complacency.  I love to read and constantly am fighting to find more time to study (and cutting into my other ways of relaxing aka Video Games) Between work, sermon prep, family time, counseling, volunteering and the other areas of ministry I find a need for more and more careful study.

Ineffective:
not effective;  not producing results;

 Another danger is becoming ineffective in our ministry of the Gospel.  Even as a pastor Timothy was warned to be sure that he was effective in the ministry and that included reading scripture and continuing in the apostle’s doctrine.  It also included encourage to action and teaching other’s around them.

1 Timothy 4:13-16
Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Another definition that I read for ineffective, was not just “not producing results” but “producing the wrong  results.”  The danger we face when we rely on ourselves or other’s interpretation is that we can produce the wrong results.  The reason training and education are so important is not just for us to make sure of our salvation but for other’s around us to see the true Gospel.

Closely tied to this is the next concern that I have in becoming unfruitful.

Unfruitful:
Not producing good or helpful results; unproductive.

When we become complacent and ineffective in our Christian walk it shows itself further by the stopping of our production of fruit.  If we are constant in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2) then we are fruitful..  Not a hard concept to grasp, however we often get ourselves so far out of whack that we don’t see this in our own lives.  One pastor this week (I forget who) asked on his blog “How would your church look if everyone in it led others’ to salvation like you?  If they encouraged others like you, if they spoke out like you did if the Gospel was presented like you did it…  How would your church look?”

Conclusion ::

As we read other’s we must constantly evaluate and study the many different facets of the authors and the theology they offer.

2 Peter 1:10
Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

It is NOT just the PASTOR’s responsibility to be educated in the Gospel.  We all must be able to answer for our faith.

I said all that to actually say this:

Our life and theology are never perfect, no theologian’s ever are.  From this we must rely on scripture for insight and strength of our theology and the evaluation of the theology of others.  This will ensure that we leave a Godly heritage for the generations that follow.

Romans 5:2-5
Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

We spend a lot of our lives looking for HOPE.  We have a president that ran a rather simplistic campaign promising HOPE to the battered nation.  We look for better jobs, better homes, even better churches all looking for a different HOPE.  The American Dream (although changing more and more) is based on HOPE.  Hope for a better tomorrow.

I would argue that much of the “Green” movement is based on fiscal policy but the spin that we hear from media and politicians is that we need to build more HOPE for future generations.  Although some would abuse the idea of HOPE… we need HOPE.

A good HOPE leaves us healthy and vibrant, ready to take on the world.  If we have no HOPE then we face a dismal reality.

We tend to take comfort in these verses thinking we can identify with the key signposts on the road to HOPE.

Suffering – We are suffering after all (excuse the McDonald’s wrappers and empty Starbuck cups) and the mounds of entertainment that we burn through in a day, a week, a month, a year.

Endurance – We can make it to the next paycheck!  We have suffered and now we must endure.  Little Johnny doesn’t have the latest game for his Gameboy.  We are building up endurance for when we can choose to afford it.

Character – Our reputation is as flippant as the next tweet or facebook post that comes down the line.  Our Character used to be terms on a hand shake.  Now we change our contracts and change our minds so often pages have to be written to protect the “character” …

Hope – We hope we are doing the right thing.  Close our eyes and HOPE we are doing what GOD wants us to do, ministering to who GOD wants us to minister to, giving like God wants us to give.

I am afraid, afraid we have lost sight of what God wants us to have in these verses.  We need to look deeper at the first part of these verses

Through Him – Christ alone gives us Hope

Access – We can approach God knowing that Christ has made a way for us to be able to speak to him.

By faith – Hope that is healthy is hope that is built on faith that God will do what he says he will do and he is faithful to do it.

Grace -Ephesians 2:8 says it best “For by such grace you have been saved through faith. This does not come from you; it is the gift of God”  it is this grace that is not something we have contrived, this is not something last minute that God was taken by surprise. Grace a gift from God.

Stand – When we stand where God wants us to stand we will find Hope.

Rejoice – Hard to rejoice when we have trials and tribulations but it is still a command we are given and an attitude that we must CHOOSE to embrace.  The glory MUST belong to the Lord.  We must not sit and wallow in self pity and shame, we must rise up and rejoice that our King is the HOPE for all.

Hope.

So … where does your hope come from?

As a child I memorized the book of James and although my memory is not clear enough to spit it back out word for word, I find myself paraphrasing it all the time.  This is one of those verses that screams God’s will, God’s Grace, God’s Choice for each believer.  I love it!

I remember as a college student I struggled and came to grips with the Grace of my salvation.   Knowing that God had saved me was a “no brainer” but coming to the reality of the  process left me in a state of mental duress.   One night while visiting home, my father and I ran  to pick up a pizza (or two or five) from Dominoes.  It must have been a burden that was showing through my face because my earthly father took the time to as me what was bothering me.

I don’t remember the pizza being cold so the conversation couldn’t have taken that long.  I was fighting with two sides of an argument while never being told either out right.  Did I choose God or did God choose me? This verse came back to my mind today as I was working and I shot it off to Facebook and Twitter but that doesn’t do  it justice.

Titus 3:4,5 But when the goodness and love for man appeared from God our Savior,  He saved us — not by works of righteousness that we had done,  but according to His mercy,through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

“He saved us, His Mercy, His Son, His Regeneration, His Holy Spirit”  Man how long I struggled with my inner desire to say I am worthy to be saved.  The reality (ask my wife) is that I am far from it.  The gap between God and I was so great there was no way I could even ask for salvation… but “He chose is, He saved us.”

The struggle was over.  I realized that this was part of the continued process of God’s working in my life.  This process of regeneration gave me a comfort, a peace and a hope.  I didn’t get the magic answers to all my questions, but I did come to realize God chose me, in spite of my sin.

Isaiah 64:6 — All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment;
all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

I am humbled with the knowledge as a Christian, God gave me His Word for my Salvation.  For with out Christ, I could do nothing on my own.