“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” – 2 Timothy 1:5

If you’re a parent or grandparent, an aunt or an uncle are you building a legacy of faith in the next generation? Timothy was a man whom God used mightily. Without question he grew through His relationship with Paul. However, none of that would have happened apart from the investment of his mother and grandmother in his spiritual life. If there is someone in your life in a rising generation you have the opportunity to make the same impact.

We can’t ever make another person believe in Christ, which can be heart-breaking. Nonetheless, we can invest in rising generations by teaching the words of Christ AND living lives that radiate Christ. Live a visible and audible faith that any young person in your life can understand is rooted in Christ and very different from a “normal” life. Though they may not immediately (or sadly ever) respond, do your part to make clear the life giving and transforming truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Take time to reflect on those in your life who are younger than you. How can you better live your faith in front of them? How can you more wisely share your faith with them? How can you periodically check in on them to nudge them toward the Lord when they’re very far from Him? Be intentional about building your legacy of faith – you just might change the world in the process!

“O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.” – 1 Timothy 6:20-21

Happy Birthday, America!!! What a joy it is to have an earthly home that’s free. May we never take that freedom for granted and may we each use our freedom well for God’s glory! If you’re in the US, take time today to give thanks to God for the freedom you enjoy.

One of our most cherished freedoms, of course, is freedom of speech. Pretty much anything and everything can be said and it certainly is! However, Paul has a crucial warning for Christians living in an “anything goes” culture of free speech. Hold tight to the truth of the gospel!

We’re flooded with nonsense, babble, and contradictions disguising themselves as “knowledge”. It fills our inboxes, social media streams, and the endless hours of cable news. Countless books are written, endless magazines are published. All are a wonderful expression of the freedom we cherish, but not all of it is beneficial for a follower of Jesus to engage with.

As a Christian, avoid the empty junk, the trash talk, the babble, and the nonsense. Learn to identify what’s worth engaging with and what isn’t. Invest your time and energy in reading and listening to what builds your faith and enlightens you with the truth of God and it’s application to the world. Guard what God has given you, don’t let it be washed away in a sea of drivel. Enjoy your freedom but don’t let it pull you of the path of faith.

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?” – Luke 15:4

What a comfort and joy it is to have a God Who’s like this! The Creator of the Universe is so concerned, kind, patient, and merciful toward everyone He’s created that He pursues those who are out of fellowship with Him like a shepherd seeking a lost sheep. God doesn’t sit back waiting for people to come to Him. Instead, He sent His Son into this world to redeem people from sin and death and restore them to relationship with Him. Though God is present everywhere, He directs the work of His Spirit in a special way toward the pursuit of the one who’s lost over the 99 who are already saved.

God places a priority on reaching those who are still distant from Him. Though He loves us like His children (because we are), He’s zealous in going after the lost sheep. As followers of Jesus, we must become like that. Though we must love and care for those who are already in the family of God, we must be diligent, energetic, and sacrificially committed to taking the good news of Jesus Christ to those who don’t yet believe. This is an act of love and care that’s rooted in God’s nature.

If you’re a follower of Jesus, it’s easy to get completely consumed by the fellowship, joy, and hard work of caring for those already in the flock. These vital and life-giving matters can easily take all our time and energy. If we let that happen then we fall short of the heart of the Good Shepherd. We must follow His lead and go out after those who’ve fallen away and those who’ve never been part of the flock. We must be diligent in sharing our hope in Christ, going and telling people about Jesus, and making disciples of all nations. Go after the one that’s lost!

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.” – 1 Timothy 4:1

Well, that’s pretty clear, isn’t it? What won’t be clear will be those false and demonic teachings. Most Christians wouldn’t be fooled by something obviously demonic. However the lesson from the Garden of Eden is that Satan will twist the word of God into something that sounds ALMOST like the real thing. In that distortion, the lying spirits and demons will cast doubt upon God’s character, introduce invitations to rebellion, and rationalize disobedience to God. The teaching will come from celebrities, social media influencers, self-proclaimed Bible teachers, and even well-known preachers who say they are Christian.

Christians WILL fall for this. Don’t be among them! YOU must know what God has really said in His Word. Be a faithful student of the Bible and don’t rely on others to read and understand it for you. Yes, you should listen to good, Bible-based preaching and teaching, but always with discernment. You must walk in the power and protection of the Holy Spirit so you won’t fall prey to the evil spirits. Worship, pray, and meditate on Christ and His teachings.

Christians WILL fall for this. Stay in close fellowship with other believers, that they may guard you and you may guard them. Friends, we are in these later times. The devil is already at work deceiving believers. Know the truth and live by it. Don’t be deceived. Don’t depart the faith bit by bit without even noticing it as many already have!

“For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord,
and he ponders all his paths.”
– Proverbs 5:21

There are no secrets from God! You probably know this in your head, but you must also know it deep within your soul. We’re all tempted to try and hide things from God, but that’s as ridiculous as it is pathetic. God knows your thoughts, words, and actions. You can’t hide from Him and you can’t spin Him into believing something is anything other than it actually is.

Rather than wasting your energy trying to hide from God, embrace His forgiving and transforming grace! God knows the darkest parts of you but He loves you and offers forgiveness and change through faith in Jesus. God will forgive every sin and failure, if you will just confess them to Him and seek to live differently in His power. Let God forgive you, then work with Him to walk the way of holiness. In Christ, walk in the ways of Christ.

Let His Word and His Spirit guide you on the upward path rather than the dark and shameful path you naturally prefer. God knows all your possible paths – follow Him on the one He desires for your life. Walk the path of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.