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Daily Bible - October 25

A devotional by Grace To You for reading on October 25th

Reading for Today:

Jeremiah 35:1 Chapter 35 1 The word which came unto Jeremiah from Jehovah in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, –36:32
Psalms 119:65-72 65 TETH. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Jehovah, according unto thy word. 66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge; For I have believed in thy commandments. 67 Before I was afflicted I went astray; But now I observe thy word. 68 Thou art good, and doest good; Teach me thy statutes. 69 The proud have forged a lie against me: With my whole heart will I keep thy precepts. 70 Their heart is as fat as grease; But I delight in thy law. 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; That I may learn thy statutes. 72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me Than thousands of gold and silver.
Proverbs 27:22 22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with bruised grain, Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
1 Timothy 4:1-16 Chapter 4 1 But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron; 3 forbidding to marry, `and commanding' to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 for it is sanctified through the word of God and prayer. 6 If thou put the brethren in mind of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which thou hast followed `until now': 7 but refuse profane and old wives' fables. And exercise thyself unto godliness: 8 for bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come. 9 Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation. 10 For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe. 11 These things command and teach. 12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an ensample to them that believe, in word, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 15 Be diligent in these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy progress may be manifest unto all. 16 Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue in these things; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee.

Notes:

Jeremiah 36:4 Baruch wrote. Jeremiah’s recording secretary wrote the prophet’s messages and penned them a second time after the first scroll was burned (36:32). He also read the messages in the temple (v. 10) and in the palace (v. 15). Later, Jehudi read a small part of the first scroll before King Jehoiakim (vv. 21–23).

Jeremiah 36:23 cut it. As often as Jehudi read “three or four columns,” the king cut it up, doing so all the way through the whole scroll because he rejected the message (v. 29). Jehoiakim is the king who sent men to Egypt (chap. 26) to bring back God’s faithful prophet, Urijah, so that he could execute him.

1 Timothy 4:1 the Spirit expressly says. Paul repeats to Timothy the warning he had given many years earlier to the Ephesian elders ( Acts 20:29 29 I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; , 30). The Holy Spirit through the Scriptures has repeatedly warned of the danger of apostasy (Matt. 24:4–12; Acts 20:29 29 I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; , 30; 2 Thess. 2:3–12; Heb. 3:12; 5:11–6:8; 10:26–31; 2 Pet. 3:3; 1 John 2:18 18 Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour. ; Jude 18). in latter times. The period from the First Coming of Christ until His return ( Acts 2:16 16 but this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel: , 17; Heb. 1:1, 2; 9:26; 1 Pet. 1:20; 1 John 2:18 18 Little children, it is the last hour: and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there arisen many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour. ). Apostasy will exist throughout that period, reaching a climax shortly before Christ returns (Matt. 24:12). depart from the faith. Those who fall prey to the false teachers will abandon the Christian faith. The Greek word for “depart” is the source of the English word “apostatize” and refers to someone moving away from an original position. These are professing or nominal Christians who associate with those who truly believe the gospel but defect after believing lies and deception, thus revealing their true nature as unconverted. deceiving spirits. Those demonic spirits, either directly or through false teachers, who have wandered away from the truth and lead others to do the same. doctrines of demons. Not teaching about demons, but false teaching that originates from them. To sit under such teaching is to hear lies from the demonic realm (Eph. 6:12; James 3:15 15 This wisdom is not `a wisdom' that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. ; 2 John 7–11). The influence of demons will reach its peak during the Tribulation (2 Thess. 2:9; Rev. 9:2–11; 16:14; 20:2, 3, 8, 10). Satan and demons constantly work the deceptions that corrupt and pervert God’s Word.

1 Timothy 4:6 nourished…words of faith…good doctrine. Continual feeding on the truths of Scripture is essential to the spiritual health of all Christians (2 Tim. 3:16, 17), but especially of spiritual leaders like Timothy. Only by reading the Word, studying it, meditating on it, and mastering its contents can a pastor fulfill his mandate (2 Tim. 2:15). Timothy had been doing so since childhood (2 Tim. 3:15), and Paul urged him to continue (v. 16; 2 Tim. 3:14). “Words of faith” is a general reference to Scripture, God’s revealed truth. “Good doctrine” indicates the theology Scripture teaches.

DAY 25: What specific instructions did Paul give Timothy that would apply to a young person?

A young person seeking to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ can find essential guidelines in 4:12–16,where Paul listed five areas (verse 12) in which Timothy was to be an example to the church:

In “word” or speech—see also Matthew 12:34 34 Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. –37; Ephesians 4:25 25 Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. , 29, 31.

In “conduct” or righteous living—see also Titus 2:10 10 not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. ; 1 Peter 1:15 15 but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living; ; 2:12; 3:16.

In “love” or self-sacrificial service for others—see also John 15:13 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. .

In “faith” or faithfulness or commitment, not belief—see also 1 Corinthians 4:2 2 Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. .

In “purity” and particularly sexual purity—see also 4:2.

The verses that follow hold several other building blocks to a life of discipleship:

Timothy was to be involved in the public reading, study, and application of Scripture (v. 13).

Timothy was to diligently use his spiritual gift that others had confirmed and affirmed in a public way (v. 14).

Timothy was to be committed to a process of progress in his walk with Christ (v. 15).

Timothy was to “take heed” to pay careful attention to “yourself and to the doctrine” (v. 16).

The priorities of a godly leader should be summed up in Timothy’s personal holiness and public teaching. All of Paul’s exhortations in vv. 6–16 fit into one or the other of those two categories. By careful attention to his own godly life and faithful preaching of the Word, Timothy would continue to be the human instrument God would use to bring the gospel and to save some who heard him. Though salvation is God’s work, it is His pleasure to do it through human instruments.

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