FBC Daily Devotions

After much consideration, I’ve decided to go back to having the devotions cover the passage preached at the upcoming sermon rather than following the sermon. There are some people who don’t have internet access, and it was helpful to have the devotions printed out and available for them every Sunday. This was not practical in the current format. Unfortunately, this will mean skipping over 2 Timothy 2:14-21 and moving directly to this Sunday’s passage – 2 Timothy 2:22-26.

Today, please read 2 Timothy 2:22-26, and reflect on the passage on your own. What does the passage say to you?

REVIEW

Looking back over the week, what one or two things did God especially impress on you? How did it influence your week?

FILLING

Read 2 Timothy 2:11-13.

For the last few days (even weeks) we have been looking at how a life in Christ requires hard work and discipline to grow. It requires slowing down enough to reflect on God’s Word. And it requires continually remembering the gospel – the work of Christ for our salvation and growth. I was reminded in a conversation with a friend yesterday that perhaps one of the reasons for remembering the gospel is that it reminds us of our mission in this world. It is so easy to get caught up in other things that we lose sight of our purpose. As we saw yesterday, getting caught up in the real mission of God can make life difficult, perhaps not as difficult as Paul’s life, but nonetheless difficult.

In today’s reading, this may be the reason Paul recites what has been understood to be a first century hymn because it is written in a way that helps one remember. The truths contained in this hymn are meant to encourage one who is suffering for the sake of the gospel. Rather than go through each statement, now is your chance to slow down and reflect. Take some time to fill your mind with these truths. Stop living in the present only, and set your mind on the eternal.

For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.

If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. 

If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 

If we are faithless, He remains faithful for He cannot deny Himself.

To consider: Write down what each of these statements means to you. How does it encourage you? Are you going through something in your life whereby knowing these truths is helpful?

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Question for Home Groups

Discuss how each of these statements might be an encouragement to someone who is suffering. Why do you think the statement regarding denying Him is given? How does it make you feel?

Wanted to again apologize for email delays. I accidentally scheduled the delivery times in the afternoon rather than the mornings (guess I don’t know the difference between a.m. and p.m.!). This has been adjusted now. There may be some occasions when the service is down, but that seems to be occurring less frequently now.

Also as you may have noticed, I’ve decided to put the Home Group Questions at the end of each day’s devotion. I used to develop the questions at the end of the week, and then publish late Friday afternoon, but for those who meet say on Wednesday or Thursday, this wasn’t working for you. For those meeting Friday night, this didn’t give you any time to prepare before the meeting. I’m hoping this new format will be more effective. I suppose this could all be resolved if I were to finish the devotionals earlier in the week, but I couldn’t guarantee that.

Lastly I need some input. If you have time, could you comment on the following:

1. Is this working? Have doing these devotionals in conjunction with Sunday’s message and discussing in Home Groups been helpful in learning and applying the Word to your life?
2. Any suggestions for improvement?
3. Since I’m doing the devotionals AFTER the sermon (as opposed to leading up to the next Sunday), those without internet service don’t have a way of getting the devotionals for the week. Do you think it would be worthwhile to print the previous week’s devotionals and put them out in the foyer even though they would be a week behind the sermon?
4. If you are reading this on the website (versus email), and you have subscribed but aren’t getting emails, could you let me know? There have been some instances where accounts have been “paused” for some reason, and need to be reactivated.

That’s it for now. Remember, all of this is to help us center down on Christ. We can nothing apart from Him. I would like to personally get to a point where I would never want to do anything apart from Him. See you Sunday. -Mike

PURSUING

Read 2 Timothy 2:9-10.

In today’s verse, as is typical of Paul, he begins by saying one thing, and then drifts into another thought as if moved by his earlier remarks. Here Paul is moved by his mention of the gospel in v. 8 and his present condition. He has suffered much for the gospel, and it seems that he can’t get this out of his mind. Three times previously he has mentioned suffering: 1:8; 1:12; 2:3, and now a fourth time. The proclamation of the gospel has made Paul’s life difficult to say the least.

Paul could have avoided it all if he had simply stopped sharing the gospel. But he was an evangelist – it was in his blood. Failure to carry out the call of God on his life was not an option. And so even though he may have been in prison, the gospel would not be silenced. Nothing could imprison the gospel and silence its proclamation. No matter where Paul was, the message would go forth. They could imprison the man, but they couldn’t imprison his determination to spread the Word.

Why did he endure such hardship? He did it for the sake of others. Paul didn’t endure the pain of suffering for his own sake, but for the sake of the lost. Is that not love to suffer for others? Is that not love that a man sit chained in jail, unjustly treated as a criminal for the sake of saving the lost? Is not Paul a living example of Christ’s own unjust treatment and death for the sake of others?

To consider: To what length did someone go for you to hear and believe the gospel? How have you suffered to share the gospel with the lost?

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Questions for Home Groups

1) To what length did someone go for you to hear and believe the gospel?
2) How have you seen people go to great lengths here (in the States) to share the gospel with the lost?