Psalm 119:97-104, I Timothy 3:14-4:5 The sacred writings that the psalmist followed are described as God’s laws, commandments, precepts, decrees, and ordinances that he considers God’s word. The New Testament finds these sacred writings to be scripture as told about in II Timothy. So, are we Christians of the New Testament free from the law which the psalmist praises? Well, the sacred writings of Timothy’s time were the Old Testament. Paul tells him to continue in what he has learned and has firmly believed. Now as Paul talks about the sacred writings he is not just referring to them as literature but as scripture. They are inspired by God and are useful for teaching, or reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. Scripture is what Paul calls sound teaching and he warns about those who listen to ones who deviate from it saying words that accommodate the listener’s desires. They wander away from truth and wander away to myths. This reminds us of the Greek and Roman...

 Psalm 66:1-12, Luke 17:11-19 The psalmist of Psalm 66 gives thanks and praise to the Lord for God’s goodness to Israel. This was a song the Israelites would sing to remember and praise God for God’s many blessings. Yet it seems to be forgotten by nine lepers out of ten who Christ healed with only the foreigner, a Samaritan at that, returning to thank Christ. What about the other nine? Did they forget this Jewish song of thanks or were they isolated from the temple due to their condition so they never learned it? They were so excited to go to the temple to show themselves to the priests who had been avoiding them all these years they forgot to thank Christ. In the Psalm, the psalmist invites the audience to come and see what God has done. He begins to site examples of God’s power and deliverance of them. He tells of the sea turning into dry land so they could escape the Egyptians and how God keeps watch over the nations. They are told to let the sound of their praise be heard s...

 Luke 17:5-6, II Timothy 1:1-14 The apostles in our Luke account ask the Lord to increase their faith. They see faith as something measurable that the more you have the more you can do. Jesus turns this concept of increasing faith around by saying if you have a mustard seed of faith you can move mountains. Jesus is talking about the strength, the intensity of one’s faith versus its size. They have what the writer of II Timothy says in today’s passage, “the cowardice of spirit.” We can’t be too hard on them however since this was well ahead of Pentecost when they finally received the power of the Holy Spirit. I love this Timothy passage since it commends Timothy’s mother and grandmother for bringing him up in the faith. It even mentions them by name, which is something unheard of in ancient patriarchal literature. Note his father and grandfather are not mentioned. Paul tells him to rekindle and ignite the faith they taught him telling him that God has given him a spirit of pow...

Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16; I Timothy 6:6-19 Our Psalm for the day, which has been made into some beautiful songs, tells a lot about the protection of God who will deliver us from trouble. The last verses tell how God will deliver and protect those who love the Lord. God will satisfy them with a long life and show them God’s salvation. There is no promise of riches here – no prosperity gospel, but what the Psalmist finds more important, protection and a relationship with God who brings long life and salvation. Money is discussed in I Timothy. He continues his talk about godliness saying how there is great gain in it combined with contentment. The godly do not seek riches but are content with what they have – the basic food and clothing. Then comes the famous verse often quoted that the love of money is the root of all evil. Those who seek it fall into temptations and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction that can lead to wandering away from the faith when money become...