Category Archives: Bible

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Developing Character

This morning, my daughter is delivering a devotion to FCT (Fellowship of Christian Teens) at her school. She asked me to help her develop something to share for that meeting, and in so doing, found much that I needed to pay attention to in my own life as well.

Gramophone

James is a very practical letter found in the back of the New Testament. These short chapters are filled with nuggets of advice that can help each one of us with day-to-day living. As my daughter and I talked about things she could share for her devotion, a short passage from James 1, verses 19-20, came to mind and we began to look at it.

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

This passage breaks itself naturally into three main points, with an application following in the second verse (this is the preacher in me coming out). These three points are three steps that we can take to develop spiritual character in our lives. While they are simple, they aren’t necessarily easy. However, these three things will go a long way to helping each of us to become more of the person that God desires us to be.

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Classic Bible: My Favorite Passages From Philemon

This is part of the Classic Bible: Favorite Stories & Passages series. Read more from the series!

The shortest of all Paul’s letters is his personal correspondence with Philemon concerning his slave, Onesimus, who had run away. Though short, Paul skillfully weaves several key Christian principles into the fabric of this letter.

Shackles

Onesimus, a slave, had run away from his owner and escaped. Over the course of time, he met Paul, who introduced him to Jesus, and accepted him as Lord and Savior.

This places Paul in a bind, both legally and spiritually. Paul is obligated to report to his friend and Christian brother, Philemon, that he has found Onesimus, and is sending him home. But what if Philemon didn’t accept Onesimus in a favorable manner? What if there were extenuating circumstances, as verse 18 seems to imply? And is seems that Paul may even want Philemon to release Onesimus, perhaps even to assist Paul in his ministry.

Out of this dilemma, Paul writes this brief masterpiece. He writes to Philemon to appeal to his love as a Christian for Onesimus, encouraging him to release him from slavery. In fact, it seems that Paul could require this, as indicated by the suggestion that Philemon owes his own conversion to Paul’s efforts as well.

By the fact that this letter was preserved in the canon of Scripture, we can assume that Philemon complied to this request. And, in the early second century, there is an Onesimus who is mentioned as a bishop of the Ephesian church. It is not provable if this is the same Onesimus, but the timing certainly fits.

Out of this brief letter, which takes only moments to read, I find a couple of passages to be extremely encouraging. Here are my favorite passages from the letter to Philemon:

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Classic Bible: My Favorite Passages From Nehemiah

This is part of the Classic Bible: Favorite Stories & Passages series. Read more from the series!

One of the most encouraging stories in the Old Testament is the story of Nehemiah.

Tied in closely with the book of Ezra, this short piece of the Old Testament is an amazing bit of history.

Rock Wall

The nation of Judah was taken into captivity by Babylon somewhere around 587 BC. Fifty years later, Cyrus sent some of the people back to rebuild the temple of God. During this time, Zerubbabel rebuilt the temple, Ezra brought the Law back into the life of Israel, and Nehemiah rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem, making it secure in the face of intense conflict and opposition.

Nehemiah’s abilities in administration and perseverance helped him mold the Jewish people back into the people of God so they could obey God’s commands and have a distinction from the people around them.

This is really the beauty of the story. Not only did Nehemiah have to rebuild a wall around the city, he had to rebuild a people to the point where they could stand on their own as an independent nation, following God’s lead.

Although the book is only thirteen short chapters in length, it is full of sage wisdom and leadership advice. You will gain much by studying this incredible little book.

Here are a few of my favorite passages from the book of Nehemiah:

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The Life That Honors God: The Conclusion Of The Matter

This is part of the series The Life That Honors God, from 1 Timothy. Check out more from the series!

Right now, we are finishing up a series, where I am sharing five different aspects of The Life That Honors God. This series, based out of 1 Timothy chapter 4 and chapter 5, is all about how to live a life that makes a difference to others, but most importantly, to God. Click on the link in the box above to see the introductory post, with links to all five aspects.

The Life That Honors God

Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve looked closely at five different areas that Paul encouraged Timothy to excel in. My encouragement to you is to do the same thing. Take these five areas and invest them into your life. Practice these until they come naturally to you. And then practice them some more.

But as you do these five things, keep the proper attitude.

Philippians 2:3-11 says this:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

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The Life That Honors God: Treat Others With Respect

This is part of the series The Life That Honors God, from 1 Timothy. Check out more from the series!

Right now, we are in the middle of a series, where I am sharing five different aspects of The Life That Honors God. This series, based out of 1 Timothy chapter 4 and chapter 5, is all about how to live a life that makes a difference to others, but most importantly, to God. Click on the link in the box above to see the introductory post, with links to all five aspects.

The Life That Honors God: Treat Others With Respect

1 Timothy 5:1-2 says this:

Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

Paul is exhorting this young man to show respect to his elders; and to be gentle and to show purity in his relationships with others. He seems to be stressing to Timothy here to emphasize purity in his relationships with young women.

Guys let me speak to you for a moment. Ladies listen up, because this is something you need to hear as well. Guys, you are visually oriented. More so than women are. You are emotionally and physically attracted by what you see. Ladies, this isn’t as important to you, but it still can be a problem. Watch yourself in this area, guys. It appears that Satan has identified a weakness in many men – lust or sexual impropriety. Guys, your service and ministry will be destroyed with a wandering eye or an impure heart.

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The Life That Honors God: Take On The Example

This is part of the series The Life That Honors God, from 1 Timothy. Check out more from the series!

Right now, we are in the middle of a series, where I am sharing five different aspects of The Life That Honors God. This series, based out of 1 Timothy chapter 4 and chapter 5, is all about how to live a life that makes a difference to others, but most importantly, to God. Click on the link in the box above to see the introductory post, with links to all five aspects.

The Life That Honors God: Take On The Example

1 Timothy 4:12 tells us:

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

To not let anyone look down on you does not mean to care less about what others think. On the contrary, it means to not give others a reason to look down on you.

Taking up the example means that you give credibility to what you teach; to how you live.

The authority of what you say comes from God but the credibility of what you say comes from your life.

This is why verse 16 says to watch your life and doctrine closely.

Your integrity as a believer, as a Christian, as a servant, is grounded in your speech, in your life, in your love, in your faith and in your purity.

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The Life That Honors God: Trust In God Alone

This is part of the series The Life That Honors God, from 1 Timothy. Check out more from the series!

Right now, we are in the middle of a series, where I am sharing five different aspects of The Life That Honors God. This series, based out of 1 Timothy chapter 4 and chapter 5, is all about how to live a life that makes a difference to others, but most importantly, to God. Click on the link in the box above to see the introductory post, with links to all five aspects.

The Life That Honors God: Trust In God Alone

1 Timothy 4:9-10 says:

This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

Your security, your confidence should be in God alone. Keep him as Lord of your life always and only.

Avoid the temptation to place confidence in the philosophies of man or worse yet, in yourself.

Many people desire to achieve public recognition. They desire the attention to be on themselves. They are willing to sacrifice credibility to achieve recognition.

But serving Christ is not a place to seek a name for yourself. Your ministry, your service, is a place to become lesser so that God might be glorified. And so that others might see that their confidence and security should be in God, who is the savior of man, and not some personality.