Archive for the ‘Devotionals’ Category

 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. 1 Timothy 5:8

During a strike by the Canada Post letter carriers some years ago, the postal service made alternate arrangements for people who were social assistance recipients to receive their monthly cheques from a temporary office on Main Street. As a reporter, I took my tape recorder to that temporary office to talk to some of the people who were lined up for their cheques. Several people in wheelchairs and with other physical limitations were glad to talk to me about the inconvenience of having to get into such a line-up. But a good many other people refused to talk to me, keeping their faces averted so I could not see who they were. But I knew who they were: they were the good-for-nothings who were living off government handouts because they were too lazy to work for a living. They did not deserve the handout they were getting, and they knew it. These people probably did not appreciate how I described them in my report. But if I didn’t think much of them, neither does God, as our text makes clear.

The breadwinners in our homes are responsible for providing for the financial needs of the families. That is very basic. There are things that every family needs: food, clothing, shelter, and a reasonable level of comfort. Beyond that, there are things that families should have for the good of each member of the home, various creature comforts, entertainment, tools, provision for emergencies, and all that sort of thing. A family in which the breadwinners earn substantial income would – and should – have more than a family where income is more modest. But when the needs are met, the responsibility addressed in our text is discharged. At least, it is discharged in terms of financial provision. But there are other provisions that must also be met.

The provider for a family must also meet the family’s social needs. Because families live in communities, the family’s responsibility to the community must be met. Children, if there are any, need to be educated. Parents need to be informed and consulted in school matters. Parents must also be involved in their children’s lives, taking a keen interest in their activities, making sure the intrusions of electronic devices do not deprive the children of the exercise and social interactions that the children need.

More importantly, the home must be provided for spiritually. A Christian home ought always to be an oasis of blessing in a careless and uncaring world. And that blessing should be for the members in that home as well as for any outsiders who come into contact with it. The Bible must be read, prayer must be made, and the home must be as deeply involved as possible in the life of the local Assembly. The home where Christ is the centre will be a home well provided for spiritually.

Our text makes it clear that not providing for the needs of our homes is a very serious matter indeed! How are we doing with that? – Jim MacIntosh

Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father, and the younger men as brethren. 1 Timothy 5:1

In a school that some of my grandchildren attended, my wife was having some difficulties in a class where she was doing some volunteer work. At least two of the children appeared unable to take direction from the teacher or from any other adult. For example, one child refused to share any of the class supplies with the other students as they worked on an art project. Another child refused to follow directions from the teacher, and kicked the teacher in the shins when told to sit in her seat. These are isolated incidents, of course; most of the children in that class were well behaved. But there is a growing approach among many parents that children should not be restrained in any way by adults, and should be allowed to do as they please. Perhaps those unruly children are the offspring of such deluded parents. Or perhaps they are just one of the results of a society that increasingly tends to show no respect to those who are older or who hold positions deserving of respect and dignity. Our text makes it clear that such respect is not only appropriate, but commanded.

Theologians differ on whether the word that is translated ‘elder’ in our text is the word for a member of the Assembly oversight or simply an older person. In reality, it does not matter. The context indicates that this elder is in a position of error in some way. Dealing with such a person requires careful recognition of the elder’s age or position. A rebuke would be humiliating to such a person, humiliation that would serve no purpose. The first step in addressing the issue is to entreat that person in the same way that we would take up an issue with our father. I cannot recall a time in my life when I ever rebuked my father, although there were times when I recognized that he was not correct in something that he either did, said, or promoted. Out of respect for my father, I would raise the issue privately, carefully, and lovingly. If we used that kind of respect in dealing with an elder, we would be wise.

Not all elders are right all of the time, we know that. But all elders should be given respect. We will solve more problems by remembering that than we will by openly criticizing and correcting them. – Jim MacIntosh

Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 1 Timothy 4:13

Some young Christians I know have wondered what God’s purpose is for their life. If only, they say, we had a formula we could follow to discover that purpose. I am sure it is a question and a desire that is common to many other sincere young Christians, and others not quite so young, because I can remember going through the same process myself. Does the Bible contain a formula you and I can use that will help us determine how we should live before our Lord? Today’s text comes as close as any that I have found to such a formula.

Paul has written his first letter to Timothy in the hopes that he will be set free from prison and will be able to travel to Ephesus to visit his dear friend and protege. Until he arrives, he urges Timothy to give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. You and I are not waiting for Paul’s arrival. But there is Another Who has promised to come. And unlike Paul, who never made it back to Ephesus, the return of the Lord Jesus to take us with Himself to heaven is certain and imminent. It is in light of that promise and expectation that we are to occupy ourselves in this world. That glorious expectation will keep us ready, waiting, working, and watching until He arrives.

The second element in our Christian success formula is reading the Word of God. In conjunction with prayer, no activity of life is more important for us. Nowhere else will we truly learn about our God and His character. Nowhere else will we feed on the purposes and programs of God. Nowhere else will we find God’s will for us presented and explained. Daily reading of the Word of God will feed us and build us up in our most holy faith. The last two elements of our Christian success formula flow from this one, the reading of the Scriptures.

We will find, as we read, and as we listen to the teaching of Godly men, and as we heed the example and instruction of godly men and women, that God has a pattern that we need to follow in holy living. We will learn how we should conduct ourselves before the world and in the Assembly. We will learn that we should busy ourselves in the furtherance of the Gospel and in the edification of the saints. We will learn that God truly does desire that we give attendance to the exhortation that He has provided for us.

God also desires that we would know of the doctrines that are contained in His Word. One of the reasons why Luke wrote his Gospel was that his friend Theophilus would know the surety of those things most surely believed among us (Luke 1:1). The great truths of the Word of God are ours to learn and explore, despite their being hidden from the wise of this world. Under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit, these great doctrines are ours to know. And we must learn them if we are to succeed in our Christian lives.

So yes, there is a formula to knowing and living God’s will for us: Expecting His return, reading His Word, following His exhortation, and learning His doctrine. – Jim MacIntosh

These things command and teach. 1 Timothy 4:11

The Prussian king known as Frederick the Great once observed, ‘The more I see of men, the more I like my dog’. The good king undoubtedly noticed some valuable traits in dogs that are not so common in men. It is not only for their keen senses of smell and sight that dogs are appreciated. No, men love their dogs because of their uncomplaining readiness to obey and lavish affection on their masters. A good dog is loyal, loving, and lovable even when their masters are not. To a well-trained working dog such as a retriever or a sheep herder, no greater reward for a job well done exceeds a pat on the head from its master. Dogs seem to naturally want to serve and obey. Although those attributes do not come so naturally to people, they should be the mindset of the Christian toward our Heavenly Master.

In our text, Paul is referring to the things that he has been passing on to Timothy in connection with his responsibilities toward the Assembly in Ephesus. He is instructed to present these things as the commandments of the Lord. These are the things that the Lord wants His people to do, the things that He will appreciate in their character and behaviour, and the things for which He will give a reward. There is service that we are to render to our King if we are to be found ready, waiting, and watching when He returns. He has given us our marching orders, and we are to follow them. And the leaders among us are responsible for presenting us with what God expects of us in His service.

These leaders are not only to command; they are also to teach. There is much to be learned from the Word of God, and the Lord’s people need to be taught these things. Firstly, we need to be taught how we are to conduct ourselves as Christians, how to be honest and fair and compassionate toward the world, to be faithful and devoted to our families, and to be loving and serving to our fellow believers. Secondly, we need to be taught how to access the blessings of God and to dispense God’s loving kindness in the Gospel. Thirdly, we need to be taught the great truths of the faith, those things most surely believed among us, the pillars of our testimony, our gatherings, and our beliefs. Fourthly, we need to be taught about our God that in our appreciation of Who He is, what He has done, and what He has promised will produce in our souls that worship and praise to which He is due. It is the responsibility of the leaders among us to make sure that we know these things.

God desires that His people obey Him and know Him. That is why Assembly leaders must command and teach His Word. -Jim MacIntosh

For bodily exercise profiteth little; but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 1 Timothy 4:8

The first part of January is a busy season for the operators of exercise and fitness clubs. They are filled with people who have made New Year resolutions to lose weight and to get into a better physical condition. Many of these people disappear within a few months, disillusioned with the initial results of their efforts and too lazy to keep up the required regimen. Do those clubs work? Certainly they fail miserably when it comes to weight loss as people use the excuse of doing exercises to continue gorging themselves with the carbohydrates and processed foods that are making them obese. The clubs do work for those who are seeking to improve their conditioning and strength, at least for the few who are dedicated enough to continue at it. But once they get off the treadmills and weights for any length of time, the old laziness habits and the flabby muscles return. How true it is that bodily exercise profits but a little.

Our text is not actually dismissing exercise outright. It acknowledges that there is a little benefit. That benefit – and for some the benefit is significant – is just for a little time, compared to the benefits that godliness provides. Even for those who exercise and keep in good shape into their adult years, bodily exercise profits only as long as we are in the body. But godliness has a profit throughout our lives – even when our bodies are laid aside in illness or injury – and into eternity. So when we compare the two, we find that godliness is the much more worthy pursuit for a Christian.

The promise that bodily exercise offers is fleeting and limited; the promise that godliness offers is permanent and powerful. Yes, those who keep themselves physically fit have a better life than those who don’t. They are stronger, healthier, and usually better able to cope with the stress and struggles of life. But so are those who make godliness their goal. These are the folks who study the Scriptures to model their lives on that of their Lord and Saviour. These are the folks who have a good testimony before God and men because of their honesty, their caring and compassion, and their dedication to the service of their King. These are the folks who shun the ideas of the world and embrace the truths of the Scriptures. For these folks, godliness gives them a peace and dedication that serves them well at all times and in all circumstances. Godliness has huge dividends in this life. And of course, godliness pays dividends untold in eternity. As we consider that we must all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10), we ought to consider preparing for that great review.

There will be no bicep measurements nor endurance testing done at the Bima. Nor will there be any listing of earthly accomplishments. The measuring stick there will be godliness, and the Lord will apply it with utmost accuracy and precision. It is there where the choice of godliness over bodily exercise will appear the most wise. – Jim MacIntosh

But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 1 Timothy 4:7

A man who I was working with told me about going to see the movie The Passion of the Christ. He was impressed with much of the content of the movie and spoke in glowing detail about it. But there were some things that bothered him. He was not very familiar with the Bible, but had read it, and he was wondering about several scenes that he doubted were actually according to the Scriptures. For example, he told about the thief on the cross who had rejected the Lord Jesus. In the movie (I am taking his word for it, I never saw it myself), a crow came and picked out one of the eyes of the unrepentant thief. There is no record of such an event actually happening. The movie producer Mel Gibson added this little feature which came from the writings of the Catholic mystic Anne-Catherine Emmerich, a nun who lived in the 1700s in Germany and who claimed to have received visions from the virgin Mary. But many of her revelations are directly contrary to the Word of God; they are simply old wives’ fables. And we should reject all such that can and that could distort the truth of the Scriptures.

What was Paul referring to when he wrote our text? Technically speaking, a fable is a tale that involves animals or plants acting in human ways. Aesop used fables to teach valuable lessons to his listeners, fables that are still told today. That is not what is being referred to here. These are profane and old wives’ fables. The term ‘profane’ is rendered ‘foolish’ in some other Bible versions. But it means more than foolish, it means base and non-scriptural. The Jewish Talmud is littered with such fables, as is Roman Catholic tradition. These were stories made up to support one person’s or one group’s point of view, and they were given a value that they never had. The term ‘old wives’ refers to traditional and folk tales that are also inventions of people who used their imaginations to convince others about certain things. All of these things should never be given any credence, especially in spiritual matters. Only the Bible and that which agrees with the Bible is truth.

Many of the cults and false religions of the world are built on fables and old wives’ tales. This shows us the great danger there is in believing and following those things. It also shows how we can keep ourselves from drifting away from the truth by making sure the Bible is the benchmark for everything that we believe and do. – Jim MacIntosh

If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 1 Timothy 4:6

How many Bibles do you own? Most Christians I know have more than one. And whenever we need to know the answer to any issue, there is a Bible near at hand to look it up. And most of us have discovered some of the many excellent on-line tools for looking up anything related to the Scriptures. The Word of God is so available to us that we have no excuse for not using it to resolve our issues and answer our questions. So we might be excused for wondering why Timothy had to keep reminding the Christians at Ephesus about the things that he and Paul had taught them. Neither Timothy nor the others in that Assembly had the New Testament Scriptures at that time. They had the Old Testament and, by this time, some of the Gospel books. But that wonderful resource that you and I treasure so much of the epistles was unknown to them. They needed Timothy’s constant reminder of the words of faith and of good doctrine referred to in our text.

Timothy was a good minister, as he worked to shepherd the flock of God in Ephesus. He applied himself to teaching the Christians. You and I find ourselves in the company of good ministers today, as we see the members of the Assembly oversight and the different full-time workers among us. These brethren take on the responsibility of feeding the flock of God, of making sure that the saints are taught those things that are most surely believed among us (Luke 1:1). In one way, these brethren have a much easier task than Timothy had. Unlike him, they have the Word of God in its completed form. And they have tools such as commentaries, dictionaries, and concordances that the first century believers could not even dream of. So we have to give faithful men such as Timothy credit for doing so well in the difficult circumstances in which he worked. But given the mess that so many around us are making of Biblical teaching, we must surely appreciate the work that our faithful brethren of today are doing for us.

Timothy had been well taught by Paul, and he had learned much in his own spiritual exercise. He was much like those who seek to teach the Lord’s people today. Conferences, ministry meetings, Assembly Bible readings, and the fellowship among godly and well-learned brethren serve well those who would serve as teachers and shepherds among us. There is much to learn in the Word of God, and we have good men today applying themselves to learning it. But we can never have too many who have the knowledge, experience, and ability to feed us with the words of faith and of good doctrine.

We need men like Timothy among us today, serving as good ministers of Jesus Christ. And we need to appreciate their faithfulness. Their words of faith and of good doctrine are what we need to hear. – Jim MacIntosh

Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 1 Timothy 4:3

I remember a message I heard in my early teens about the great whore described in Revelation 17. The man delivering the message identified the great whore as the Roman Catholic church. These many years later, I still believe he was correct. Although the sins described in that chapter refer primarily to spiritual harlotry, the revelations in recent years have proved that Rome is beyond doubt one of the most immoral and corrupt organizations on earth. Proven allegations of sexual predatory behaviour by priests and other papist officials have uncovered widespread abuse that has disgusted and shocked the world. If this behaviour has been so prevalent in our day, it has surely been prevalent throughout the many hundreds of years since Catholicism first came up with its abominable practice of forbidding its priests to marry.

Our text speaks of two crimes of those who oppose the truth of God: forbidding to marry and insisting on vegetarianism. Our text makes it clear that those who believe and know the truth will receive both marriage and meat with thanksgiving. It does not require much effort to uncover the great harm caused by prohibiting these. With Rome, for example, their prohibition of marriage for priests is the direct cause of most of the sexual abuse that is so rampant among them. Those priests, deprived of the natural environment of marriage, have turned their lusts toward those who have been in their charge. We cannot imagine the extent of this great tragedy, nor can we expect it to cease as long as marriage is forbidden by Rome.

The prohibition against meat is a more subtle crime with a two-pronged impact. It is a prohibition against God’s provision of animals for our food, denying His purpose in including meat in our diet. It is also a challenge to God’s order by those who would place the lives of animals above the lives of human beings, as the so-called animal rights organizations would teach. All of these things show how deeply depraved humanity can become when any of the truths of the Word of God are set aside.

We ignore any part of the Scriptures at our peril. And we include all of the Scriptures for our blessing. We must never forget that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17). If we believe and receive all of the Word of God, we will not fall into error and sin. -Jim MacIntosh

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. 1 Timothy 4:1

In 2 Chronicles 25, we read the interesting but tragic account of King Amaziah of Judah. At the start of his 29 year reign, Amaziah is said to have done that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart. He had been taught the truth by his good father Joash, and he for a time followed his father’s footsteps. But his heart was not in it. Because his was just a shallow religion that had no real conviction, he eventually abandoned it, and began to worship the gods of Edom. His idolatry eventually led to his being murdered by his own people. The sad commentary on Amaziah’s life is found in verse 27 of that chapter: ‘Amaziah did turn away from following the Lord’. The same sad commentary can be written over many of those today who claim to have been following the Lord, those who have, according to today’s text, departed from the faith.

Professing Christendom is not what it used to be. Many of the mainline denominations used to have a respect for the Word of God and exhibited a reverence for God. Most of that has disappeared in a great push into modernistic theology and practices. Even many of the so-called evangelical denominations have adopted a watered-down version of the Gospel that places little emphasis on repentance from sin and places more emphasis on little rituals and formulas than on faith in Christ. The so-called prosperity gospel has become very popular, offering plenty that appeals to the flesh but nothing that prepares for eternity. There is no doubt that Christendom has experienced a wholesale departing from the faith and a turning to seducing spirits and the doctrines of devils.

The late US president Jimmy Carter at one point announced his withdrawal from the Southern Baptist organization, saying he could no longer support the way in which that denomination repressed women. Carter went on to say that all great religious teachers have endorsed the liberation of women, and he listed those teachers, including among them Mohammed. Carter had become willfully ignorant of the fact that Mohammed’s teaching has done more to repress, subjugate, and demean women than everything else in the entire history of mankind. Hundreds of millions of women are little more than slaves today under that evil system. But Carter was not alone in this willful blindness to these great evils. Even some of the Christians who we know are speaking in an accepting way of the teachings of Islam, giving heed to seducing spirits and the doctrines of devils. It must be clear that the religion of Islam is based on a god who bears no resemblance to the God Who has revealed Himself in His Word. Their claim to worship the same God as us is false. And losing sight of that will cause us to depart from the faith.

These are the latter times spoken of in our text. Let us not be among those of whom it is said they departed from the faith. – Jim MacIntosh

But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 1 Timothy 3:15

What an interesting expression: the pillar and ground of the truth! Let’s look at it. The Greek word that is translated pillar is stulos, which means a post, something that is strong enough to support a building or other object. The Greek word that is translated ground is hedraioma, which means a supporting base. Between the two, you have a solid, well grounded support. And this solid support is holding up the truth. And our text declares what this pillar and ground is: the Assembly of God. What a great privilege, and what a great responsibility!

In order for an Assembly to be the upholder of the truth, it must itself be based on truth. This disqualifies those gatherings and organizations that conduct themselves contrary to the Word of God. For example, a so-called church that employs a full-time minister, or that allows women to engage in public teaching, or that conducts the Lord’s Supper on any schedule other than weekly, or that practices charismatic behaviour that is no longer part of God’s purpose for His people, cannot be such a pillar and ground of the truth. Neither can a gathering whose doctrine is contrary to the Scriptures, such as those who would deny the deity of Christ, those that reject the necessity of baptism for obedient believers, or those who fail to preach the Gospel message of repentance and faith. We can uphold truth only if we have and follow the truth.

In the Old Testament, people could point to the tabernacle, and later to the temple, as the location of God’s presence among His people. We have neither edifice today. Instead, we have God’s declaration in Matthew 18:20: ‘For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them’. Those who have been gathered unto His Name are an Assembly. We are responsible to meet to remember Him, to proclaim the Gospel, to edify the Lord’s people, to maintain discipline and teach the Scriptures, and to function in good testimony for Christ before the world in good works and honest living. A vital part of our function is to uphold the truth. This we can do, as long as we follow and teach the truth. When we stop doing that, we stop being the pillar and ground of the truth. And we stop being an Assembly. – Jim MacIntosh