TEXT:

‘Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all’ – 1 Timothy 4:15

THOUGHT:

Whether a new Christian, an inexperienced church leader or someone who has known the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour a long time, all of us need to be reminded of what is expected of a true believer.

I often get asked the question, “Why read the Bible?” or “What is the best way to read it?” Unfortunately many Christians do not understand what they are reading and end up not bothering to read it at all, leaving it to gather dust on the shelf!

Paul reminded Timothy of “These Things” which are important for faithfulness and godliness. Fortunately they have been recorded for our benefit too, along with the rest of the Bible. It certainly helps to make the Christian life much more rewarding when we believe that the Bible is not a collection of religious writings but the Word of God to be of help to us today. In writing to Timothy, Paul referred to “These Things” four times and these form the basis for Today’s Teaching.

• Meditate on these things – Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all – 1 Timothy 4:15

‘Consider what I say and may the Lord give you understanding in all things’ – 2 Timothy 2:7. Isaac ended his busy farming days by meditating on God in the evening – Genesis 24:63. Joshua was told to meditate on God’s Word in order to have good success and make his way prosperous – Joshua 1:8. I find it best to start my day reading and meditating on the Bible. When I pray I speak to God, when I read the Bible I make it easier for God to speak to me. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to understand passages that you find confusing, for He is the One who inspired godly men to write it down in the first place. Learning to meditate on God’s truth will inspire and prepare you for the day that lies ahead.

• Flee these things – ‘But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness’ – 1 Timothy 6:11

What this world prizes can end up making the Christian ineffective. Wrong attitudes about lifestyle practices and the love of money and possessions are so prevalent. The world will tolerate Christianity as long as it does not try to influence it, but when we preach “Repent” then expect a reaction. The Bible warns us to, ‘Flee from the wrath to come’ – Matthew 3:7. If there is no judgment meeting with a righteous God, there would be nothing to flee from! It takes courage to maintain a course of godliness, when all around is compromise. Flee from what is wrong, pursue what is right!

• Instruct these things – ‘If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed’ – 1 Timothy 4:6

‘Speak these things’ – Titus 2:15. The challenge for church leaders is to instruct their congregation from the Bible. This is what a good minister does. Do not preach the ideas and opinions of men, but faithfully teach the Word of God. Avoid the temptation to replace Bible-based sermons with messages that neither challenge nor instruct for fear of causing offence. If you are called by God to the ministry, you are charged by God to teach and preach His Word, not yours or anyone else’s!

• Continue in these things – ‘But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them’– 2 Timothy 3:14

Many are shocked by how quickly standards have slipped in just our lifetime. Lifestyles once only practised in secret are now openly championed as acceptable and normal. Paul urged Timothy to continue in the things he had been taught and trained in. God’s Word has not and will not change simply to accommodate the views of sinful men. Jesus said, ‘My words will by no means pass away’ – Matthew 24:35. What He taught back then is worth teaching today. The church’s teaching is to uphold the standards of any community anywhere in the world. Yet those with “Itching ears” no longer want to hear about Biblical truth on how to live the Christian life. The temptation to compromise rather than stand for the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is all too real. Timothy’s society was just as bad as ours today. If he could stand against wickedness and worldliness, so can we!

Preacher, keep God’s Word to the fore when preaching, for it is the truth that sets people free!