Join us in the Project 345 reading plan as we read through the New Testament.

Context: Paul has instructed Titus to appoint elders in Crete.  He warns that there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers…”

Titus 1:16 “They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.”

Observation:  Paul says that people that live in disobedience are “unfit for any good work.”  Clearly, we are not saved through our obedience (Ephesians 2:8-9), but our works in some way evidence the faith we need to lead in the Kingdom of God (Titus 1:5-9).  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we need to walk the talk.

Application: “Lord, give me the strength to acknowledge You by my works.  May the soil of my life give Your seed the opportunity to bear fruit (Matthew 13).”

Do your works deny Christ or support your profession?

Join us in the Project 345 reading plan as we read through the New Testament.

Context: Paul has just instructed Timothy to “cleanse himself from what is dishonorable” and to “flee youthful passions.”

2 Timothy 2:23 “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.”

Observations: Controversies in this context arise when we swerve from the truth (v. 18).  God desires for His people to be unified (John 17:20-26).  He will go on to say, “the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (vv. 25-26).

Application: I must not breed quarrels.  I should “(d)o (my) best to present (myself) to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (v. 15).  I must focus on truth.  When controversies arise, I should not quarrel but correct my opponents with gentleness.

Do you breed quarrels?

Join us in the Project 345 reading plan as we read through the New Testament.

Context: Earlier Paul addressed specific groups in the church and will now show how the gospel relates to them.  The key word will be honor (vv. 3, 17, and 6:1).

1 Timothy 5:1-2 “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.”

Observations: We should treat people like family members (the context would indicate specifically those in the church).

Application: I want to keep this at the front of my mind today.  As I relate to those around me, I want to use this as my relational checkpoint.  Am I honoring people in this way?  This should encourage love, respect and purity.  “Lord, through Your Spirit, give me strength to live this out.”

Are you treating older men like fathers, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers and younger women as sisters?

Join us in the Project 345 reading plan as we read through the New Testament.

Context: Paul has just said, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people…”

1 Timothy 2:2 “…for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”

Observations: We should pray for all “all people” (v.1) and specifically those in high positions.  Though we don’t have a king in our country, we do have a president.  Paul says we should pray that they would “lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”

Application: I am challenged to begin this morning praying for those who are leading in my church, my office, my community, and my country.  During the presidential debate today, I want to pray that our current and future president will “lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”

Will you pray with me for our leaders?

Join us in the Project 345 reading plan as we read through the New Testament.

Context: Paul is instructing Timothy to urge a group of people in Ephesus not to teach different doctrine.

1 Timothy 1:5 “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

Observations: The aim (telos – goal, desired outcome) of our teaching should be love (agape).  Teaching love comes from: 1. A pure heart, 2. A good conscience, and 3. A sincere faith.  He will go on to say: “Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions” (vv.6-7).

Application:  Through the work of the Holy Spirit, I must maintain a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith, if I am going to teach truth in love.  My personal position before God must come before I try to instruct others.  Know it and live it.

Do you have, through the work of the Holy Spirit, a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith?

Join us in the Project 345 reading plan as we read through the New Testament.

Context: Paul has been encouraging the church in Thessalonica through hardship.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Observations: In my own words… regardless of the situation, God wants me to pray with thanksgiving and joy through Christ.

Application:  I am learning a lot about prayer as I study John 17.  This morning I am reminded to pray with a joyful heart at all times.

Is your prayer life driven by guilt or by rejoicing?

Join us in the Project 345 reading plan as we read through the New Testament.

Context: Paul opens his letter to the Thessalonian church with thankfulness to God.  Note – The Bible never records a believer thanking another believer directly.  They always thank God for them.

1 Thessalonians 1:2 “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers…”

Observation: They are thanking God in prayer… always and constantly.  Verse 3 will continue by explaining what they are thanking God for: “your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Application: I will spend time today thanking God for the faith in my wife, my family, many of my friends and those in my church.

Who are you thanking God for today?

Join us in the Project 345 reading plan as we read through the New Testament.

Context:  John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, explains that followers of Christ should love one another, because God is love.

1 John 4:9 “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.”

Observations:

• “In this the love of God was made manifest among us,
  • that God sent His only Son into the world,
    • so that we might live through Him.”

Apply: I want to spend time thinking about the love that God has shown me through Jesus.

Do you know that God loves you?  Do you know Jesus?

Join us in the Project 345 reading plan as we read through the New Testament.

Context:  John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, has argued that we know love because Jesus laid down His life for us.  As a result, we should lay down our life for others (1 John 3:16).

1 John 3:23 “And this is His commandment, that we believe in the Name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He has commanded us.”

Observations:

God’s commandment:

1. Believe in the Name of His Son Jesus Christ.
2. Love one another.

Apply: Ultimately, God’s will for me today boils down to believing in Jesus and loving others.  I want to look for tangible opportunities to “not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).

Is God’s commandment (believe and love) being realized in your life?

Join us in the Project 345 reading plan as we read through the New Testament.

Context: John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, has explained that he is writing so that his Spiritual children will not sin.  But if they do sin, they have an advocate with the Father – Jesus.

1 John 2:3 “And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.”

Observations:  How do we know if we have a relationship with Jesus?  Our obedience.  (Note: Scripture is clear that we cannot be obedient apart from the work of the Spirit in our lives through faith in Jesus as our Savior and Lord.  Scripture is also clear that faithful men who knew Jesus experienced times of disobedience – see Romans 6-7)  John will continue: “Whoever says ‘I know Him’ but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the Truth is not in him, but whoever keeps His Word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.”

Application: I want to walk like Jesus walked today.  I want the words of the song “Trust and Obey” to be my motto.  “Lord, give me courageous and obedient faith!”

By John’s definition, do you know Jesus?