Friday, November 15, 2024

"Motivating A Spiritual Son" (2 Timothy 1-5)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/15/2024 8:32 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  “Motivating a Spiritual Son”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  2 Timothy 1:1-5

 

            Message of the verses:  1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.”

 

            In my first SD on 2 Timothy it was mentioned in that introduction to the book that Paul’s primary instruction to Timothy actually begins in verse six of chapter one.  So now we must understand what these first five verses that he wrote mean, mean to Timothy and also mean to us.  These first five verses are motivational and also constitute a beautiful and moving “salutation” to Paul’s beloved son in the faith.  MacArthur writes “Yet even these very personal comments reflect principles pertinent not only to Paul’s discipling of Timothy but also to Christian parents, Sunday school teachers, youth leaders, pastors, counselors, neighbors, and friends—to any believer who is helping another grow toward maturity in Jesus Christ and effectiveness in ministry.”  That surely is quite a list of people that MacArthur gives here, and it seems to me that something I mentioned in earlier SD’s that each book of the Bible was written for a specific purpose and once we find out what that purpose is then it is easier to understand what that book is actually saying.

 

            I have to say that this SD to me is actually an introduction to these first five verses in 2 Timothy, which means that as true in most of MacArthur’s introduction to chapters in his commentary that he will give us a preview in where we are heading, which is true in this case.  Another thing I can say is that this SD will be very short.

 

            “These six implicit, but easily discernible, principles of motivation are:  authority (1:1-2a), altruism (v. 2b), appreciation (v. 3a), appeal (v. 3b), and affection (v.4), and affirmation (v. 5).”

 

            So here we have the points that we will begin, Lord willing, in tomorrow’s Spiritual Diary beginning with “Authority.”  I have to say that I did listen to the sermon that MacArthur preached on these first five verses and this always helps me to understand more about what I will be looking at as his sermons are usually longer than his commentary in the books that he writes.

 

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  In last night’s SD on 1 John I was encouraged to look at some verses that seem to help me in some struggles that I am going through, and have been for some time, and for that I am thankful.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I want to begin to memorize Romans 8:1-13, as these are the verses that I am writing about.

 

11/15/2024 8:52 AM

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