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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