Category Archives: Devotional

Paul’s Faithful Sayings #2

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The next little statement conveying a big truth is this one:

“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop [literally, “overseer”], he desires a good work.” – 1 Timothy 3:1 (NKJV)

A man can desire to go into ministry for either right or wrong reasons.  The man who desires the position of leadership within the body of Christ should desire the position because he desires the work.  The work is good.

Notice that the “position” is not the thing that’s good, but the “work”.  The overseer may dislike the position at times, but he needs to stay committed to the work.  He may not get the results he hoped for, but he needs to do the work.  He will certainly fall short of the standards some people set for him, but the work remains good so he needs to do it.  He may personally fall far short of the standards he sets for himself, but he still needs to devote himself to the work – because it is good. 

Preaching, teaching, counseling, comforting, correcting, directing and protecting God’s people – all these things come under the work of the overseer and much, much more besides.  And he’ll need to be a man of prayer and a student of the Scriptures before all of that.  The man who becomes an overseer will never be bored again. 

Paul’s Faithful Sayings #1

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Paul liked to give his understudies neat little proverb-like gems of wisdom to take to heart as they carried out their own ministries.  He recognized the value of placing an important principle in an easily opened package – of saying something that needed to be remembered in a way that his guys would remember it.  He called them “faithful sayings”.

Here is the first: 

“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” – 1 Timothy 1:15 (NKJV)

Anyone desiring to serve the Lord can benefit from a deep awareness of their sin.  It enhances our humility and keeps us conscious of the fact that we fully depend upon Christ.  No matter how long or how well we serve Him – and Paul served better and longer than most – we should never get past the fact that we do so by His grace.

This is not a morbid focus on our own shortcomings and should never lead to that.  This is good sense and extremely useful in ministry.  As we, Christ’s servants, deal consistently with sin-filled people in sin-filled surroundings, it helps to keep in mind that we are sinners saved by grace. 

Paul considered himself the “chief of sinners”.  During his ministry he was accused of many things, but offhand I can’t think of a case he was accused of arrogant or hypocritical self-righteousness.  Maybe there’s a connection?

God Decides

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We live in a nation dedicated to democracy, so we have more say in who governs than many others, but none of us has the final say.  God reserves that right for Himself and we’re wise to acknowledge it.  Daniel 2:21 says it best:

And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
                                                      – Daniel 2:21 (NKJV) 

We can and should try our best to vote for the best candidates, etc.  But only the Lord knows what the final results can and will bring.  And he has plans for nations and people that remain beyond our reach. 

Consider Daniel, who said the above, serving under Nebuchadnezzar, arguably one of the worst tyrants ever.  Daniel served faithfully and uncompromisingly and in the end was used in the process of bringing the king to what looks like a genuine faith in the Living God in Daniel 4. 

Go figure.  Few people want a tyrant for a king and fewer still want to serve a tyrant within personal reach of his mood swings.  Yet that’s what Daniel did and he did it well, earning that tyrant’s respect in the process.  The least we can do is pray for our leaders and for the outcome of this year’s elections.

With All Confidence

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In our desire to serve the Lord, we may often feel that our resources are falling short, our opportunities limited, and our gifts and abilities not what they need to be.  Honestly, that’s OK.  What’s important is that we keep going anyway – and that we truly do whatever we truly can.  One of the way God leads us is through the seemingly limited opportunities that we have. 

No doubt Joseph felt limited in Egypt.  Gideon could hardly be called a visionary when God first spoke to Him.  Yet we rightly see both of these men as heroes and examples in the faith.  Their success depended upon God and not themselves.

Paul may have been tempted to grow weary during those tedious trials and difficulties that he faced in Acts 21-28.  (I actually find it tedious just reading about them.)  But what do we see at the end of the book of Acts?  An apostle defeated and hopeless?  No.  Rather, we see a resilient, determined, active apostle, working within the confines of house arrest in Rome.  Only God knows the long-term effects of his ministry at this time.

“Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.” – Acts 28:30-31 (NKJV)