• Verse 1 certainly speaks to me as a pastor: the way you live should reflect the way I’ve taught! In fact, if the Word isn’t changing the way we live, regardless of our status in life, something is wrong!  (Note: older men – v. 2; older women – v.3; younger women – vv. 4-5; young men – vv. 6-7; slaves (think employees) – vv.9-10)  The way we live can make our Gospel attractive to others! (or not)
• That idea permeates the whole chapter – and is summarized in vv. 12-13.
• Love the description of what Jesus came to do for us in Titus 2:14!

What stood out in your reading today?  Please share it below so we can all be encouraged-

The first Bronze reading is 1Timothy 6.  Here are a few random thoughts I had while reading:

• If these first 2 verses applied to slaves, what must it say to us as employees?
• Vv. 6-8 probably aren’t popular in our culture, but they contain truths that make for a happy life!
• Sadly, I’ve seen vv. 9-10 lived out in people that I’ve known and loved.
• Before you ‘write off’ v. 17 as not applying to you, keep in mind that you are wealthier than more than 90% of earth’s population!
• Here’s the real purpose of money: v. 18!
• I want to experience the ‘real life’ of v. 19!

The second Bronze reading is 2Timothy 3.  Here’s my thoughts:

• Be honest as you read it slowly: do vv. 1-5 sound like our current culture?  Sure sounds to me like we’re living in the last days!
• As leaders (or even as believers), we should never separate “how we live” from “what we teach” (v. 10).  In fact, that’s why we can trust! (v. 14)
• Finally, vv. 16-17 are classic verses to tell us the importance of the Scriptures in our lives!

How was your reading today?  Please share your insights below to help us continue to ‘work the Word into our lives’-

• Is there a more pertinent passage in the New Testament for our day than 1Thess 4:3-8?  Notice: sexual sin violates God’s will for us (v.3); it dishonors us (v. 4); it’s beneath us as believers, since it’s indicative of a pagan lifestyle (v. 5); it cheats our fellow brothers & sisters (v. 6); it contradicts our calling (v. 7); and finally, none of this is mere human opinion, but rather God’s Word to us, AND He has given us His Holy Spirit to enable us to live up to this calling! (v. 8)  This passage is NOT to condemn us; it’s to help us live the good life God wants, and His grace enables, for us!
• 1 Thess. 4:13-14 opens a very important topic: what about those who have died?  Thank God for the comfort that permeates the rest of the chapter!
• Verses 15-17 give us hope and encouragement – whether we are alive until Jesus returns, or if we pass away before that time.  Great promise!
• Verse 18 is exactly what I intend to do with this teaching – how ’bout you?

Did you receive insights as you read today?  Please share them below so we can all benefit-

• The first 3 verses address a very big problem/need for most Christians – the battle is won or lost in our thoughts!
• If we consistently practice verse 5, the Christian life is easy!
• Col. 3:13 takes care of all our relationship problems!
• Verse 15 gives us the overriding principle for making decisions, when the Word is not clear – peace is the umpire!
• The final verses of the chapter address our biggest needs, whether we are a wife (v. 18), a husband (v. 19), a child (v. 20), a parent (v. 21), or an employee (vv. 22-24)

Whew – good stuff!  How ’bout any insights you received from your reading today?  Please share them below to encourage others-

• Verse 1 is good advice from someone who should know, considering all that he went through.  I’d say it’s still a ’safeguard’ for our faith today!
• Paul’s ‘pedigree’ in vv. 4-6 is impressive; but more impressive still is his statement in verse 7!
• Verse 9 says it so clearly (again) – it’s not our righteousness that counts, but HIS!
• Love verse 12!
• May we all be so determined as vv. 13-14, not only today, but always!

What insights did you receive from your reading today?  Please share with us below as we ‘work the Word in our lives’-

• is there a more tender or wonderful passage in the Bible than Eph. 1:4-8?  Go back and read it s-l-o-w-l-y!
• as wonderful as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is, verse 14 reminds us that it’s just the down payment that guarantees the rest of our inheritance!
• love the prayer of verse 18, and as Dr. Hayford reminded us this past Sunday, it’s one thing to see, but another thing to perceive! ‘Lord, enlighten our eyes!’
• Ephesians 1:19-20 gives us the incredible news that the power of the Holy Spirit that works in us is the very same power that brought Jesus out of the grave! Selah.
• If God has put all things under Jesus’ feet, and the Church is His body, doesn’t that mean all things are under us, too? (see Eph. 1:22-23)

What a great chapter!  What insights did you receive as you read today?  Share them below and let’s encourage each other as we ‘work the Word into our lives’-

• verses 1-3 make it plain….and make sense, too!
• Galatians 6:6 comes to my mind each time I receive from someone’s ministry (like Jack Hayford yesterday!) I want to be a blessing by sharing with those who have impacted my life with God’s Word!!!
• Verse 8 is an important reminder:  I have a sinful nature AND a spiritual nature – whichever one prevails depends on which one I feed!
• Verse 9 speaks to the most common discouragements we all face struggle with from time to tome – don’t get too tired!  As the old-timer’s used to say, ‘keep on keeping on”!

How ’bout your devotional reading – anything you’d like to share with us, as we continue working the Word into our lives?

• How does this equation sound: “many troubles” + “very poor” = “abundant joy” + “rich generosity”?  As unlikely as it seems to our mind, that’s what verse 2 declares!
• Verses 3-5 are simply amazing – note the descriptive terms: these believers gave “far more than they could afford”; “of their own free will”; they “begged us for the privilege of sharing”; and they did “even more than we hoped”!!!!! A-maz-ing!
• I love verse 5 – because of its priority: giving ourselves first to the Lord; but also because of another truth: the Macedonian believers gave themselves to Paul, too! (And he asserts that God wanted them to!) Believe me, I know that flies in the face of our post-Watergate world where many of us have an inherent distrust for those in authority.  As a pastor, I’ve wept with those who placed their trust in man, only to be abused and disappointed.  But I still contend that God wants His people to submit to delegated authority, who are also in submission to HIM.
• 2Cor 8:7 makes it clear: there is a ‘grace’ of giving, and God wants us to excel in it, just as we do in other areas of Christian service.  I want to be an excellent GIVER!
• 2 Cor 8:9 – is it possible to say it any more beautifully than this?  Poetic!
• Verses 12-13 don’t get quoted often by televangelists, but it’s true nonetheless!
• 2 Cor. 8:20-21 is SO important – every Church should be so above-board, especially in the area of finances, not only so the Lord is pleased, but so everyone else can also see our integrity in these matters!  One of the things that I love about our guest today (Dr. Jack Hayford) is how carefully he has conducted himself all these years – he is “Mr. Integrity” in my book!

WOW…so much good stuff in one short chapter!  How was your reading today?  Any insights you can share with us, as we continue ‘working the Word into our lives’?

• love how verse 1 encourages/challenges us to “desire the special abilities the Spirit gives” - other translations make it even stronger, “earnestly desire”. Do we?  Do you?  When was the last time we prayed that God would use us through spiritual gifts?
• 1Cor. 14:2-5 is such a sensible & logical appeal for the good of the entire church but in NO way does it diminish or minimize the value/benefit of us having a ‘prayer language’ (“tongues”) that we use devotionally for our own spiritual benefit (which is clearly seen in vv. 4, 14, 15, 17, 18)! I pray that you don’t miss the point – throughout this chapter Paul is addressing the concept of the greater good for the benefit of the entire assembly, but he clearly believed in and practiced the private devotional use of tongues for himself, ,and valued it greatly! (v. 18)
• Verses 32-33 also are quite clear, and when practiced, will eliminate virtually all of the ‘nonsense’ that sometimes goes on in Pentecostal/charismatic churches.  God is a God of order!
• I may as well address 1Cor. 14:34-35 (since someone is likely to ask about it if I don’t). Let me say that I’m not totally sure what it means, with the most logical explanation being that men & women were separated in public assemblies in that time, sitting on opposite sides of the room.  Since women in that era were usually not given the privilege of an education, some have speculated that the women often interrupted the meetings to ask their husband what the minister meant, and that Paul was trying to eliminate that confusion and bring order by suggesting that they ask those questions in private, at home.  What I do know is that if we take the whole of Scripture instead of this one passage, is that men and women are equal in God’s sight (Galatians 3:28) and that, without question, women have a role in the ministry of the Church today!
• Verses 39-40 give us a great summary of the whole chapter-

How was your reading today?  Any insights you’d care to share with us below?

• You already know how strongly I feel about the gifts & manifestations of the Holy Spirit and their role in the church today – but the first 2 verses make it very clear: love is more important than tongues, miracles, faith, or any other supernatural manifestation of the Spirit! In fact, verse 3 adds that love even excels over sacrifice or even martyrdom!
• 1 Cor. 13:4-7 is a great ‘reality check’ for marriage or any relationship – how does your love measure up?
• Verses 8-10 have sometimes been misinterpreted or even misapplied to teach that we no longer need the gifts of the Spirit since we have the full Bible (unlike the early Church who had only the Old Testament) – but verse 12 wipes out that argument completely – since having a Bible doesn’t mean that we have complete knowledge yet!  The gifts of the Spirit remain useful and fully operative until we are in heaven, where we won’t need tongues or prophecy, since we’ll have Jesus Himself!
• Verse 13 is a great summary of the whole chapter-

How about your reading today?  Please share your insights to encourage all of us as we try to ‘work the Word into our lives’-