By: Ed Algreen
DATE POSTED: Thursday, July 13, 2023, and I was blessed to be at O’Brien, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Living Bible (TLB) IS FOUND IN 2 Timothy 2:2; 9;
THE BIBLE TEXT IS: 2 For you must teach others those things you and many others have heard me speak about. Teach these great truths to trustworthy men who will, in turn, pass them on to others.
9 It is because I have preached these great truths that I am in trouble here and have been put in jail like a criminal. But the Word of God is not chained, even though I am.
MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: We may feel useless if we feel like our teaching or preaching is falling on deaf ears. But some may abuse the knowledge graced to them if they look down on others who may feel not as fortunate. We must not become like the Dead Sea, where its rich waters are not passed on through other tributaries. No matter what may happen to great teachers and preachers, the Word of God remains as strong as when it originated. Join me as we look closer at this humble teaching by an awesome messenger of Jesus Christ.
APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I wonder what crosses our mind first when we think about attending church and listening to a pastor’s sermon! I’ve heard some say that they felt ‘shouted at’ by the pastor and that they would never return to that church. Some feel like a pastor does pretty much like Jesus and preaches in riddles, for they can’t seem to apply his words to their lives. Personally, I’ve heard teachers who explain the Word of God so well, that I become anxious to return and hear another teaching as soon as possible. But let’s try and catch a glimpse of what Paul was passing on to his ‘son’ in the ministry, Timothy. Although I didn’t include verse 1 of this chapter, Paul reminded Timothy that God graced him with the knowledge, opportunity and willingness to minister in His name. Does this help you who may feel inadequate to teach or preach because you didn’t attend seminary, or because you have no line of Bible scholars in your family tree? Friends, I believe that some of the best sermons that have truly touched my heart, came from Godly laypersons who accepted the call to share a few words from a church pulpit. I believe that they got in touch with Jesus and asked Him to open their eyes of understanding and to give them the boldness that they needed to proclaim the Word under the inspiration and power of the One who wrote those sacred words. Friends, I am a firm believer that a man who stands in a pulpit on Sunday and tries to deliver a word that he gained from other scholars, or that he knows must be directed to certain parishioners who went astray during the past week, or to unleash the anger and frustration that has bound that preacher during the week, will ultimately hurt the gospel of Jesus Christ. For it is much like Paul shared in verse 9 above, God, nor His Word has changed because of the circumstances of the week, or because that preacher is bombarded by the works of Satan for whatever reason. When we allow the power of God to envelope us, renew us and give us the wisdom and boldness to pass along what He has graced us with through His Word, and through other teachers that have touched our lives, then Jesus Christ will be magnified and lifted up. And when this happens, the glory of God will fill that place where you are sharing, and others will be touched and empowered to go out from that place and share all that has filled their hearts in that service. Parents pound in their knowledge, habits and wisdom into their kids, so that they might leave home one day and become an example of those parents. So it is with church, let’s plan to attend this week with minds like sponges that will soak up the wisdom of all that God speaks and teaches through His servant in our church pulpit. Others are depending on us and we want them to know and love this Jesus of ours in much the same way that we do. When Jesus fills us, that’s what we can expect to leak out from us in our daily encounters with others. Pastors – preach it and teach it in a way that you would want other good men and women to pass it along to others they come into contact with. Fellow Christians – Unless we know Jesus personally, and fill ourselves totally with Him and His principles, then our witness, our teaching and/or our preaching will be in vain. Don’t be lazy today, get into the Word of God and let it saturate your mind and your person. Don’t be absent, nor distracted on Sunday, listen carefully to what God has ordained for your pastor to share with you, because others are waiting to be blessed by you as they watch your life and listen to your words in great anticipation.
BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Oh that we would listen to our pastors preach the Word Of God knowing that we are equipping ourselves to go out and share all that we have learned.
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