2 Timothy 3, Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

 Max Lucado Daily: HOPE WAS BORN

No day is accidental or incidental. No acts are random or wasted. Look at Jesus’ birth at Bethlehem. A king ordered a census. Joseph was forced to travel. Mary, round as a ladybug, bounced on a donkey’s back. The hotel was full, the hour was late. The event was one big hassle. Yet out of the hassle, hope was born.

It still is. I don’t like hassles, but I love Christmas because it reminds us of the heart-shaping promises of Christmas. Long after the guests have left, and the carolers have gone home, and the lights have come down, these promises endure: God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God. Perhaps you could use some Christmas this Christmas?

2 Timothy 3

Difficult Times Ahead

Don’t be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They’ll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they’re animals. Stay clear of these people.

6-9 These are the kind of people who smooth-talk themselves into the homes of unstable and needy women and take advantage of them; women who, depressed by their sinfulness, take up with every new religious fad that calls itself “truth.” They get exploited every time and never really learn. These men are like those old Egyptian frauds Jannes and Jambres, who challenged Moses. They were rejects from the faith, twisted in their thinking, defying truth itself. But nothing will come of these latest impostors. Everyone will see through them, just as people saw through that Egyptian hoax.

Keep the Message Alive
10-13 You’ve been a good apprentice to me, a part of my teaching, my manner of life, direction, faith, steadiness, love, patience, troubles, sufferings—suffering along with me in all the grief I had to put up with in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. And you also well know that God rescued me! Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble; there’s no getting around it. Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They’re as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, things can only get worse.

14-17 But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion    
Tuesday, December 08, 2020
Today's Scripture & Insight:
1 Thessalonians 5:1–11, 16–18

The Day of the Lord

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Insight
The apostle Paul wrote the book of 1 Thessalonians to the young church in Thessalonica, a Roman colony. Thessalonica was the largest and most important city in Macedonia and the province’s capital. Because of its fine harbor, central location, and access to many roads, the city enjoyed flourishing trade. First Thessalonians was probably one of Paul’s first letters, written around ad 51 or 52 from Corinth. Only two or three years earlier, Paul, accompanied by Silas, had visited Thessalonica during his second missionary journey and established the church there. According to Acts 17:1–4, Paul taught there for just “three Sabbaths” before opposition forced him to flee the city. Paul penned this letter to encourage the new believers in their faith and to assure them of Christ’s return.

On the Same Team
Encourage one another and build each other up. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

When Philadelphia Eagle’s quarterback Carson Wentz returned to the field after healing from a severe injury, the NFL team’s backup quarterback, Nick Foles, graciously returned to the bench. Although competing for the same position, the two men chose to support each other and remained confident in their roles. One reporter observed that the two athletes have a “unique relationship rooted in their faith in Christ” shown through their ongoing prayers for each other. As others watched, they brought honor to God by remembering they were on the same team—not just as Eagles quarterbacks, but as believers in Jesus representing Him.

The apostle Paul reminds believers to live as “children of the light” awaiting Jesus’ return (1 Thessalonians 5:5–6). With our hope secure in the salvation Christ has provided, we can shrug off any temptations to compete out of jealousy, insecurity, fear, or envy. Instead, we can “encourage one another and build each other up” (v. 11). We can respect spiritual leaders who honor God and “live in peace” as we serve together to accomplish our shared goal—telling people about the gospel and encouraging others to live for Jesus (vv. 12–15).

As we serve on the same team, we can heed Paul’s command: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (vv. 16–18). By:  Xochitl Dixon

Reflect & Pray
Who has encouraged you while serving on the same team? How can you encourage someone who serves alongside you?

Jesus, please give me opportunities today to encourage someone who serves with me.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Tuesday, December 08, 2020
The Impartial Power of God
By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. —Hebrews 10:14

We trample the blood of the Son of God underfoot if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our sins. The only reason for the forgiveness of our sins by God, and the infinite depth of His promise to forget them, is the death of Jesus Christ. Our repentance is merely the result of our personal realization of the atonement by the Cross of Christ, which He has provided for us. “…Christ Jesus…became for us wisdom from God— and righteousness and sanctification and redemption…” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Once we realize that Christ has become all this for us, the limitless joy of God begins in us. And wherever the joy of God is not present, the death sentence is still in effect.

No matter who or what we are, God restores us to right standing with Himself only by means of the death of Jesus Christ. God does this, not because Jesus pleads with Him to do so but because He died. It cannot be earned, just accepted. All the pleading for salvation which deliberately ignores the Cross of Christ is useless. It is knocking at a door other than the one which Jesus has already opened. We protest by saying, “But I don’t want to come that way. It is too humiliating to be received as a sinner.” God’s response, through Peter, is, “… there is no other name…by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). What at first appears to be heartlessness on God’s part is actually the true expression of His heart. There is unlimited entrance His way. “In Him we have redemption through His blood…” (Ephesians 1:7). To identify with the death of Jesus Christ means that we must die to everything that was never a part of Him.

God is just in saving bad people only as He makes them good. Our Lord does not pretend we are all right when we are all wrong. The atonement by the Cross of Christ is the propitiation God uses to make unholy people holy.

WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS

Am I getting nobler, better, more helpful, more humble, as I get older? Am I exhibiting the life that men take knowledge of as having been with Jesus, or am I getting more self-assertive, more deliberately determined to have my own way? It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth. The Place of Help, 1005 R

Bible in a Year: Daniel 8-10; 3 John

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Tuesday, December 08, 2020
The "Darth Vader" of Christmas - #8847

There's a Nativity in every room of our house. That was my wife's #1 order for Christmas decorating. Decorations are fine. Lights are nice. Nativities are mandatory! So we have all kinds. Big mangers. Small mangers. Native American Nativities. A cowboy creche. An Eskimo "Bethlehem." The cast is pretty predictable. Mary, Joseph and the baby. So are the shepherds and those Wise Men. Sometimes a cow. A donkey. A sheep.

But there's one prominent character in the Christmas story who's never at the manger. What bothers me is that in some ways, I'm him. We all are. The king, Herod. No way you're going to find him where Baby Jesus is. That's not an oversight. That's history.

King Herod is like the "Darth Vader" of the Christmas story. I nominate Mr. Vader as "The Villain of This Generation." He's heartless, he's merciless, and he talks scary. Even after his death in an earlier "Star Wars" episode, his evil legacy carries on through his better-breathing grandson, Kylo Ren.

When it comes to the historical events that are contained in the Christmas story, King Herod is clearly the "dark side."

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The 'Darth Vader' of Christmas."

It's the quest of those "Wise Men," aka, "Magi" that brings Herod into the story. The Wise Men believed that the amazing star they had seen was a celestial sign leading them to the long-prophesied "King of the Jews." Needless to say, Herod was not happy to hear a question like, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose, and have come to worship him."

When Herod's prophecy experts cited the Old Testament prediction that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, Herod asked these guys to bring back actionable intel on where the new "king" was. He claimed he wanted to worship the newborn Messiah. What he wanted was to kill him. Thankfully, God warned them away from that bad idea.

But Herod proceeded to send his "hit men" to slaughter the babies under two years old, in and around Bethlehem.

Now why would I say that I am, in any way, like this monster? Certainly not in his heinous homicides. But something deeper. Herod's heart. At his core, three words captured the bottom line that drove his life. No. Other. King. The heart of Herod was that no one would replace him on the throne. Even God's Messiah. That's what troubles me. Because, according to the Bible, that's the choice we've all made. "God, You run the universe. I'll run me, thank You."

In the Bible's words, though we were "created by Him and for Him," "we have left God's paths to follow our own...all have turned away...everyone has sinned" and we all "fall short of God's glorious standard" (Colossians 1:16; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:12, 23).

I want to be king of me. I want to do what I want to do. I will not yield the throne. Even to the One the Bible says is the "King of kings." Oh, we've got lots of so-called reasons for refusing to bow to Jesus. We'll give God all kinds of things. We'll give money. Time. Belief. Everything except one thing. Control. Whoever or whatever is in control, that's our real God.

But the results of our "self-rule" testify we were never meant to run our life. We've got broken relationships. Wounded loved ones. Addictions. A deep loneliness and emptiness that no accomplishment or achievement's been able to fill. And still no answer to life's #1 question, "Why am I here?"

But all this brokenness is the very reason for the Manger! And the Cross. And Jesus' empty tomb. "Jesus" means "the Lord rescues." And rescue is what I need! Not a religion. A rescue!

All these frustrating, unfulfilling, searching years have been a battle over the throne in our heart. A throne reserved for only one King. The One who created us. Who loves us more than words can tell. Who died to remove the death penalty for me trying to be my own king. Who alone has conquered death.

Listen, it's time for you to begin your relationship and let the real King be the king of your life. You want to do that, go to our website. I think we can help. It's ANewStory.com.

I will not stand with Herod, resisting the Rightful King. I will kneel with the Wise Men this Christmas. The ones who "bowed down and worshiped Him" (Matthew 2:11).

My lifelong search ends where theirs did. At the feet of Jesus. So will yours.