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encouragement and exhortation.
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Thursday,
August 8, 2019
Kraybill
Church Road Amish farm
(Click
to enlarge)
"What You Have
Learned"
Message
summary:
Today we consider
the importance of
what we have learned
and who we learned
from.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:14-15).
Early
in our marriage we
took in foster
children through our
county's Children
and Youth Services
department. We were
planting a new
church at the time
and were pleased
that a foster child
or two added to our
fledgling
attendance! To be a
foster parent
required a home
study. We made no
attempts to hide our
faith and the county
social worker was
fully aware of who
were were and at
that time probably
saw it as positive
although I don't
recall her
expressing any
faith. We
unabashedly sought
to provide a
Christian witness to
these children who
were from broken
homes. To this day
we remain in contact
with several of them
including Chrissy,
who came into our
home as a little 5
year old. She is
pictured with our
dog Enoch whom she
was hugging after he
had a tussle with a
porcupine (note the
quills).
News abounds of our country's slide into decadence but a recent report especially caught our attention. Now some states have decreed that foster parents are to affirm the various sexual aberrations including the gender confusion heresy. It would seem to me that this would exclude Bible-faithful Christian parents from providing foster care.
I wonder if we are entering a period described in the Bible as the great falling away in 2 Thessalonians 3. It's so very important to reinforce our call to continue in faithfulness to God and His Word as we taught in yesterday's message which begins, "But as for you, continue".
Today let us consider the phrases that follow, "in what you have learned" and "you know those from whom you learned it." (We will examine the phrase "and have become convinced of" on Friday ).
"Because
you know those
from whom you
learned it."
Timothy's early
learning, "from
infancy", was
from his mother and
grandmother whom
Paul had mentioned
earlier in the book.
"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).
This is very instructive in light of the verse that introduces Timothy in Acts 16:1: "A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek." The contrast between "believer" and "Greek" is quite pointed indicating almost certainly that Timothy's father was not a believer.
That his initial spiritual influence was primarily from his godly mother and grandmother should connect with a lot of people all these centuries later. Although God's ideal design is that mothers and fathers both spiritually influence their children, we know plenty of grandmothers and mothers who are assuming the primary role of spiritual leader due to absent and negligent fathers. The reverse is true as well with fathers assuming this role without the mother's participation (though less common).
But Timothy had many others who provided spiritual influence in his life, including his mentor, Paul. Let's consider that phrase again, "Because you know those from whom you learned it." For so much of the church's history teaching would have been face to face giving people an opportunity to personally know their spiritual leader. Now many receive teaching from those they do not know through books, radio programs, the internet, etc. That's true for us and our teaching role in your life. Some of you know us but many we have never met so you really don't know us.
Now the point is not invalidating our ministry of course, let alone that of many others who faithfully share God's Word using technology unavailable in previous generations. I have benefited greatly from many I don't know personally.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:14-15).
Early
in our marriage we
took in foster
children through our
county's Children
and Youth Services
department. We were
planting a new
church at the time
and were pleased
that a foster child
or two added to our
fledgling
attendance! To be a
foster parent
required a home
study. We made no
attempts to hide our
faith and the county
social worker was
fully aware of who
were were and at
that time probably
saw it as positive
although I don't
recall her
expressing any
faith. We
unabashedly sought
to provide a
Christian witness to
these children who
were from broken
homes. To this day
we remain in contact
with several of them
including Chrissy,
who came into our
home as a little 5
year old. She is
pictured with our
dog Enoch whom she
was hugging after he
had a tussle with a
porcupine (note the
quills).News abounds of our country's slide into decadence but a recent report especially caught our attention. Now some states have decreed that foster parents are to affirm the various sexual aberrations including the gender confusion heresy. It would seem to me that this would exclude Bible-faithful Christian parents from providing foster care.
I wonder if we are entering a period described in the Bible as the great falling away in 2 Thessalonians 3. It's so very important to reinforce our call to continue in faithfulness to God and His Word as we taught in yesterday's message which begins, "But as for you, continue".
Today let us consider the phrases that follow, "in what you have learned" and "you know those from whom you learned it." (We will examine the phrase "and have become convinced of" on Friday ).
"Because
you know those
from whom you
learned it."
Timothy's early
learning, "from
infancy", was
from his mother and
grandmother whom
Paul had mentioned
earlier in the book.
"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).This is very instructive in light of the verse that introduces Timothy in Acts 16:1: "A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek." The contrast between "believer" and "Greek" is quite pointed indicating almost certainly that Timothy's father was not a believer.
That his initial spiritual influence was primarily from his godly mother and grandmother should connect with a lot of people all these centuries later. Although God's ideal design is that mothers and fathers both spiritually influence their children, we know plenty of grandmothers and mothers who are assuming the primary role of spiritual leader due to absent and negligent fathers. The reverse is true as well with fathers assuming this role without the mother's participation (though less common).
But Timothy had many others who provided spiritual influence in his life, including his mentor, Paul. Let's consider that phrase again, "Because you know those from whom you learned it." For so much of the church's history teaching would have been face to face giving people an opportunity to personally know their spiritual leader. Now many receive teaching from those they do not know through books, radio programs, the internet, etc. That's true for us and our teaching role in your life. Some of you know us but many we have never met so you really don't know us.
Now the point is not invalidating our ministry of course, let alone that of many others who faithfully share God's Word using technology unavailable in previous generations. I have benefited greatly from many I don't know personally.
Three
points to
consider:
1)
Everyone should have
those in their lives
that they do know
personally.
2) Even though we may never know face to face on this side many who provide input in our lives, we should still learn about who they are, their beliefs, integrity, reputation, credentials, accountability, etc.
3) Regardless of the extent we know or may not know our teachers the highest standard is God's Word. The latter part of the passage states "you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus". This is followed by the majestic passage that states "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16,17). Regardless of where we receive our teaching and from whom we learn we need to practice as the Bereans did, who "received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11).
2) Even though we may never know face to face on this side many who provide input in our lives, we should still learn about who they are, their beliefs, integrity, reputation, credentials, accountability, etc.
3) Regardless of the extent we know or may not know our teachers the highest standard is God's Word. The latter part of the passage states "you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus". This is followed by the majestic passage that states "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16,17). Regardless of where we receive our teaching and from whom we learn we need to practice as the Bereans did, who "received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11).
Tomorrow's
message will be
another key
component of
continuing in
faithfulness in
regard to phrase, "have
become convinced
of".
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
Prayer: Father, it
has been written
that he who stands
for nothing will
fall for anything.
Most within our
generation stand for
very little that has
eternal value, in
great part because
they were never
instructed in the
Scriptures and had
no godly example to
follow. We want to
fill in that chasm
by being hearers and
doers of the Word,
leading men and
women, boys and
girls into a saving
relationship with
the Lord Jesus. We
are convinced of
these teachings by
the Holy Spirit, by
men and women of
deep faith who led
and instructed us,
and by our own
defining experiences
in life. Help us to
stand unashamedly
and fearlessly as
people of deep
conviction adhering
to the Scriptures so
that we are equipped
for every good work.
Amen.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
Prayer: Father, it
has been written
that he who stands
for nothing will
fall for anything.
Most within our
generation stand for
very little that has
eternal value, in
great part because
they were never
instructed in the
Scriptures and had
no godly example to
follow. We want to
fill in that chasm
by being hearers and
doers of the Word,
leading men and
women, boys and
girls into a saving
relationship with
the Lord Jesus. We
are convinced of
these teachings by
the Holy Spirit, by
men and women of
deep faith who led
and instructed us,
and by our own
defining experiences
in life. Help us to
stand unashamedly
and fearlessly as
people of deep
conviction adhering
to the Scriptures so
that we are equipped
for every good work.
Amen.Further
study note:
Consider parents raising children in Judea back in about 620 BC. We can read about that turbulent period in 2 Kings 25 and 2 Chronicles 36. It was a terrible time as God's judgment finally came upon the apostate nation. Jeremiah was a prophet during this period and of course we know him as the weeping prophet. He poignantly wrote in Lamentation 2:11, "My eyes are spent with weeping."
Stop and consider with us the godly remnant raising their children during that time period. What about the grandparents who would have greater perspective about the political and spiritual attitudes and changes of the day? Surely they must have despaired at times. Yet God always has a remnant, those who remain faithful regardless of the severe conditions.
Following
the destruction of
Jerusalem and as the
people entered
captivity some of
this remnant is
identified (I am
convinced there are
many others who
remained faithful
but are
unmentioned). The
Bible books
classified as
"historical" end
with three smaller
books that chronicle
this period (Ezra,
Nehemiah and
Esther). But the
prophetic books also
have history and
today we consider
the well-known
stories of Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael,
and Azariah who are
identified as
devoted followers of
God in Babylon, the
latter three youth
more commonly known
by their Babylonians
names, Shadrach,
Meshach, and
Abednego.We can receive great inspiration from their faithful stand. But let's consider the phrase from our daily text as it pertains to them, "Continue in what you have learned" and "you know those from whom you learned it."
Someone taught and prepared these young men for their godly stand. As in all generations it was likely their parents and grandparents and other unnamed mentors.
Today
we share some
scenes from
Kraybill Church
Road, the
relatively short
country road we
live on. See here
on Google map.
Kraybill
Church Road
rainbow last
evening
Kraybill
Church Road sunset
last evening
(Click
to enlarge)
Kraybill
Church Road sunset
sunflower last
evening
(Click
to enlarge)
Kraybill
Church Road this
morning
(Click
to enlarge)
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental Resources
"Tell
Me the Story of Jesus/I
Love to Tell the Story"
Video
Homecoming
Singers
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA