Feasting on God's Word (One Year Bible)

"I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God ... the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh ..." ( 1 Timothy 3:15-16 ). We read, in 1 Timothy 3:16 , of our deeply-held convictions concerning our Saviour, Jesus Christ: "God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory." Paul is not only speaking about beliefs that we hold with our minds - 'I believe this about Christ. I believe that about Him.' He's speaking about beliefs that change the way we live - "how you conduct yourselves in the house of God" ( 1 Timothy 3:15 ).   When Paul speaks about "the mystery of godliness", he's speaking about "God was manifested in the flesh". He's also speaking about "how we conduct ourselves in the house of God." This is the practical mystery - How can ...

1 Timothy 1:1-2:15 “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance” (1 Timothy 1:15). Help us, Lord, to receive this Gospel truth – and to have this Gospel testimony: “I received mercy … the grace of our Lord overflowed for me” (1 Thessalonians 1:13-14). Help us to say, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith”; “God forbid that I should glory except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:16 & Galatians 6:14). Help us to be “eager to preach the Gospel” (Romans 1:15). 1 Timothy 3:1-4:16 What are we to believe? How are we to behave? Lord, these are very important questions. We’re not only to believe the right things. We’re to live the right way. Help us to be “nourished in the words of the faith” so that we “may know how one ought to behave in the household of God” (1 Timothy 4:6 & 3:15). Help us to “watch our life and doctrin...

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty” (Isaiah 6:3); “Your sins are forgiven” (Isaiah 6:7). “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I am the worst of them” (1 Timothy 1:15). — Awesome holiness: It was my sin which sent Christ to the Cross. Amazing love: Christ has taken my sin to the Cross. I receive His forgiveness.

“Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9). Blessing is in Jesus. Blessing comes to us through Him. There's no direct route to God's blessing without going by way of Jesus. He is "the Way, the Truth and the Life." We come to God the Father through Him (John 14:6). When we are deeply aware of our sin, we rejoice in this: There is one God and one Mediator between God and us, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for us all" (1 Timothy 2:5-6). 

Do we stop believing this just because it comes to us from a long time ago? No! We keep on saying, “Praise the Lord! It’s true!” We keep on singing the song of our Saviour.

“A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!” ( Jeremiah 48:10 ). We should not be lax in doing the Lord’s work, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” ( 2 Timothy 1:7 ). Through the power of the Spirit of God, we are able to say, with Paul, “I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that Day” ( 2 Timothy 1:12 ). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are enabled to “obey the statutes of Your mouth” ( Psalm 119:88 ).

The judgment of God is upon those who set themselves against Him. This is the message which emerges from Jeremiah’s preaching regarding Egypt . The Lord sets Himself against those who teach false doctrine which “does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching” ( 1 Timothy 6:3 ). The contrast between “the arrogant” and the godly is clear - “May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause, but I will meditate on Your precepts” ( Psalm 119:78 ).

The judgment of God is upon those who set themselves against Him. This is the message which emerges from Jeremiah’s preaching regarding Egypt . The Lord sets Himself against those who teach false doctrine which “does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching” ( 1 Timothy 6:3 ). The contrast between “the arrogant” and the godly is clear - “May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause, but I will meditate on Your precepts” ( Psalm 119:78 ).

Concerning Egypt , God says, “I will punish you in this place” ( Jeremiah 44:29 ). There can be no blessing when we live in direct contradiction to His Word. What we must never forget is the existence and activity of Satan ( 1 Timothy 5:15 ). He is always there, seeking to make us “turn away from God to follow Satan.” We must learn to say to God, “I believe in Your commands ... I obey Your Word .... Teach me Your decrees ... I keep Your precepts with all my heart ... I delight in Your law ... The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold” ( Psalm 119:66-70 , 72 ).

“Do not go to Egypt ” ( Jeremiah 42:19 ) - Here is a Word from the Lord which is more than geographical directions. It is a Word concerning our walk with God. In Scripture, “ Egypt ” is not simply a particular geographical location. “ Egypt ” is symbolic of a proud, unbelieving hardness of heart. “Do not go to Egypt ” means “Do not harden your heart against the Lord.” “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith ( 1 Timothy 4:1 ). We must not abandon the faith. In the face of much falling away, God says to His servants, “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and teaching” ( 1 Timothy 4:13 ). The Word is to be “aptly spoken ... like apples of gold in settings of silver” ( Proverbs 25:110 . There is nothing more precious than the Word of the Lord.

The difficulties faced by Jeremiah were great - “bound in chains” ( Jeremiah 40:1 ). They were not insurmountable - “the commander ... let him go” ( Jeremiah 40:5 ). The Psalmist says, “Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget Your law” ( Psalm 119:61 ). Whatever difficulties we may face, we are still called to “keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience” ( 1 Timothy 3:9 ).

Life was not easy for the prophet Jeremiah. The king and his attendants did not pay “any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet” ( Jeremiah 37:1-2 ). We must pray for “kings and all those in authority” ( 1 Timothy 2:1-2 ). They have so much power to do good or evil. As we consider the nation’s life, we must affirm, with the Psalmist, “I remember Your ancient laws, O Lord, and I find comfort in them” ( Psalm 119:52 ).

The slaves were to be set free ( Jeremiah 34:8-9 ). The setting free of slaves is a form of imagery which is used in Scripture to declare the wonder of God’s saving grace. We do not deserve to be set free, yet, in grace and mercy, the Lord saves us (see Paul’s testimony in 1 Timothy 1:12-17 ). Through His wonderful grace and boundless mercy, the Lord gives to His people this joyful testimony: “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out Your precepts” ( Psalm 119:45 ). Freedom is not only God’s gift at the beginning of the Christian life. It is His blessing throughout the Christian life, as we walk in His way.