What to pursue

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Timothy 5-6; Psalm 21

TO CHEW ON: "But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness." 1 Timothy 6:11

It is more probable that we will succeed in reaching a goal if we focus on the positive (the thing or action we are striving toward) rather than the negative (the thing or action were are to avoid). Paul, after warning Timothy about the dangers of pursuing "these things" — he's been talking about the love of money — tells Timothy what to pursue:

Pursue [Strong's #1377) Dioko] means to press on. Figuratively it is used of one who in a race runs swiftly to reach the goal.] In this context it is pursuit without the idea of hostility, to run after, follow after; to pursue or to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavour to acquire. In plain words, to go after something with all one's might.

Righteousness: [Strong's #1343  Dikaiosune means in a broad sense to be in a condition acceptable to God. In a narrower sense it is used of someone who is just and gives each his due.]

Godliness: [Strong's #2150  Eusebeia  means to have reverence, respect and piety towards God.]

Faith: [Strong's #4102 Pistis refers to the conviction of the truth of anything; belief. In the NT faith implies a conviction or belief about man's relationship to God and divine things.] This includes the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ. Relating to Christ, it is a conviction that Jesus is the Messiah through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the Kingdom of God. Toward men, it implies qualities of fidelity or faithfulness — we say we have faith in someone because he can be relied on.


Love: [Strong's #26 Agape is brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence.] For a practical description, read 1 Corinthians 13.

Patience: [Strong's #5281 Hupomone is steadfastness, constancy, endurance.] Patience (also translated "perseverance" in the NT is the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings.

Gentleness: [Strong's #4236 Praotes refers to gentleness, mildness, and meekness.] A "Word Wealth" article in my Bible says about gentleness:

"A disposition that is even-tempered, tranquil, balanced in spirit, unpretentious, and that has the passions under control. The word is best translated "meekness" not as an indication of weakness but of power and strength under control. The person who possesses this quality pardons injuries, corrects faults and rules his own spirit well." New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 1706

(All emphases mine)

What a list! Where to start?

If you're like me, the quality or characteristic that you're currently pursuing will change from circumstance to circumstance. If you're speaking with someone who argues persuasively against the existence of God, your faith may need shoring up. If you are having issues with a difficult neighbour, your attention will be drawn toward pursuing love. If you're living with a wilfull child, your focus may be on pursuing gentleness.

One thing is sure: If we give ourselves fully to these pursuits, we won't have a lot of time or energy left to chase after money, fame, power or any of "these things" about which Paul warns Timothy.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me focus on pursuing righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness in my life. Amen

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 21

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Pray for authorities

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Timothy 1-2; Psalm 19

TO CHEW ON: "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." 1 Timothy 2:1-2


The instructions to pray for rulers and authorities must have been especially difficult for members of the early church. Their rulers were often cruel and repressive with no qualms about giving Christians a bad time. Followers of "The Way" were frequently scapegoats, accused of and then killed for crimes they had never committed.

In spite of this, Paul tells Timothy to instruct the people in his congregation to intercede and give thanks for all in leadership and authority positions. Still today, whether we like them or not, agree or disagree with their politics and decisions, we are to pray for those who rule and have authority — in our land and all over the world.

Dick Eastman in his book Love On Its Knees gives us some specific ways we can pray for leaders and authorities. First, he lays out a general "Micah Plan." It is based on praying out of Micah 6:8 — Micah's description of the lifestyle and conduct of a leader:

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" 

From this Eastman suggests:

"- We must pray that a particular leader will do justly....that he or she will govern truthfully with a spirit of sincerity.
- We may pray that a leader will love mercy. This means he or she will govern compassionately with a spirit of generosity.
- We may pray that the leader will walk humbly with God. This means he or she will govern modestly and with a spirit of sensitivity."

Eastman then goes on to list seven specific things we can pray for leaders of our country and countries around the world:

1. That unjust leaders will make mistakes that help advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Psalm 109:26-29).

2. That tyrannical leaders will fall from power by receiving unsound advice (Psalm 5:10).

3. That godly leaders will discover spiritual wisdom to govern their nations (Proverbs 28:2).

4. That all leaders will receive a personal message of God's love (Isaiah 52:7).

5. That leaders in troubled nations will grow weary of continuing bloodshed in their lands (1 Kings 5:3-4).

6. That corrupt leaders will recognize their evil ways and turn to God (2 Chronicles 33:11-13).

7. That all leaders will realize that God alone gave them their positions of authority (Daniel 2:20-21) — Dick Eastman (Dick Eastman On Prayer: Love On Its Knees, excerpted from pages 97-101).

Let's spend some time praying for those in authority today.

PRAYER: Dear God, I confess I have often neglected to pray for the leaders of my land, province and city. Today I pray for my Prime Minister (or president or king...), the premier of my province (or governor of my state...), and the mayor of my city. May they be blessed with Your wisdom, have a personal sense of Your love, and acknowledge Your role in bringing them to their position and helping them carry out their responsibilities. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 19

The Bible Project VIDEO: 1 Timothy (Read Scripture Series)




MORE: More authorities to pray for...

Elected, appointed, or self-appointed political rulers are not society's only authorities. Many other people have such positions, not formally recognized perhaps but by reason of their influence. Other authority figures for which we can and should pray could be:

1. Judges and members of law enforcement, including the police and the military.

2. Educators which would include teachers, college and university professors, even our kids' sports coaches.

3. Cultural authorities such as entertainers and sports figures.

4. Commercial authorities such as business leaders, and members of the media.

Perhaps you can think of even more...

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The spiritually alert parent

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Genesis 37:1-20

TO CHEW ON: “And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.” Genesis 37:11

Jacob made more than one mistake as a parent. A glaring one was to show preference for Joseph over his other sons. It caused envy and jealousy among the siblings.

Joseph’s brash boasting about his dreams didn’t help. When he told his brothers about their wheat sheaves bowing down to his, they came to hate him. After a second dream, which he told his brothers and his father, even his doting dad rebuked him. But then Jacob did something right. He “…kept the matter in mind.”

This reminds me of Mary, mother of Jesus and her reaction to the unusual happenings around Jesus’ birth when she “Kept all these things and pondered them in her heart” - Luke 2:19.  Again when she saw his obvious giftedness in understanding and expressing spiritual truths at twelve, she “kept all these things in her heart” - Luke 2:51.

As parents and grandparents, one of the things we want most for our offspring is that they find their purpose in life. One of the ways we do that is to watch and then keep in our minds and hearts what we see of their gifts, strengths and weaknesses, and how God is at work in them. I believe this also involves praying into and over these things as we think about how to give them direction.

In his inspiring book Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions, George Barna shares this bit of advice on how we give such direction.

“What can you do to help the youngsters with whom you have contact discover God’s purpose for their lives? As you explore their personality, spiritual gifts, passion, intellectual capacity, physical abilities, character traits and resonance with particular biblical characters and stories, funnel that knowledge toward guiding them to a clear idea of the role that has been reserved for them in God’s army. Encourage them to feel neither arrogant nor disappointed by that role. No calling is better than any other, and if it is God’s calling for them, then it is perfect for them" - George Barna, Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions, p. 66.

PRAYER: Dear Father help me to be a watcher, to observe and pray into the young lives around me and then encourage them in the dreams you have planted in them. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Who put you here?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Timothy 1:1-20

TO CHEW ON: "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry." 1 Timothy 1:12

It is a good thing, from time to time, to review where you are and why you are here — to think back over your history and thus regain the sense of God's hand guiding you into the job and ministry you find yourself in.

Paul had a strong sense of divine appointment. It comes out in the way he opens his letters. The first verse of our reading today is an example: "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope."

One way Paul retains such conviction is by reviewing how he came to God in the first place. He alludes to that time when he talks about his life before Christ: "I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man, but I obtained mercy..."vs. 13.

Paul encourages Timothy, further, to recall prophetic words others have spoken over him: "I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you that by them you may wage the good warfare" vs. 18.

One more thing I have found helpful is reviewing Bible passages that have spoken powerfully to me, rereading the verses and stories that have set me on the path I have taken.

It is easy, in our time of many options and choices, to get distracted from core life and ministry purposes and goals. Reviewing our history with God, recalling the prophetic words of others, and rereading the Scriptures that have shaped our lives can be a good way to again get focused on where we are and why.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to have the conviction of being where I am by Your hand. Thank You for putting me in the this ministry. Amen.

MORE: Burning words

I love the way the disciples described the effect of Jesus' spoken words on them as they walked together to Emmaus: "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32)

What Bible words or stories have burned within you, helping establish you in the direction your life and ministry have taken?

Some such for me would be Luke 19:11-27.

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.