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1 Timothy 4:12

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Personal Challenge

I have often used this verse to encourage youth to be strong in their faith because God can use the youth as well as any other. However, the real power in this verse can apply to all of us who are followers of Christ. We must be examples of who Jesus was and is. Our example must be in word and conduct. Our example most show others the love of God in spirit, faith, and purity. We cannot proclaim to be Christians and treat others without love. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Sirach 21:1-3

My son, have you sinned?
No longer add to them, but pray about your former sins.
Flee from sin as you would from the presence of a snake,
For if you approach it, it will bite you;
Its teeth are like lion’s teeth, destroying the souls of men.
All lawlessness is like a two-edged sword,
For there is no healing from its wound.

Personal Challenge

As a follower of Christ, we acknowledge wrongdoing as sin. It is missing the mark of what God would want of us. Everyone, whether they acknowledge God or not, knows that the is a difference between right and wrong. We all have a moral compass that is coded within our very being. This is what we as followers of Christ call “created in the image of God”. This passage in Sirach reminds us that if we have sinned, or missed the mark, then we should seek to rectify the situation and pray for forgiveness. We are to follow that by fleeing from additional sin which will engulf us and harm us. We believe that by the grace of God our sins are forgiven, and we are redeemed by god’s love. Glory be to God!

1 Timothy 4:10

For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

Personal Challenge

What end are we laboring and suffering reproach for? It is the process of living our lives to be an image of Jesus Christ that we labor for. As followers of Christ, we are striving to be like him and do that which He would do. What are these things that Jesus would do? Love our God! Love our neighbor! Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, take care of the widow and the orphan, and take in the foreigner, the stranger, the migrant amongst us. Contrary to many proclamations of modern people calling themselves Christians, we cannot abandon these expected actions as Christ followers and still call ourselves Christians. And why do we choose to follow Christ this way? Because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all mankind. Glory be to God!

Sirach 20:5-7

There is a man who is silent but is found to be wise,
And there is a man who is hateful because he talks too much.
There is a man who is silent because he has no answer,
And there is a man who is silent because he knows when to speak.
A wise man will keep silent until it is the right time to speak,
But an arrogant and undiscerning man will speak out of turn.

Personal Challenge

So many of the wisdom teachings of Sirach are so profound and apply even today. As one remains silent and carefully assess that which goes on around them, they will be perceived and recognized as wise. When we choose to talk (post) too much, then we may be perceived as hateful. There is great wisdom in remaining silent when we really do not have a valid answer. There is also great wisdom in knowing when the right time is to speak. Even if we do have a valid answer speaking out of turn will only reveal our arrogance and lack of discernment. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

1 Timothy 4:7-8

But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

Personal Challenge

We live in a day where physical exercise has been elevated almost to the level of a religion. We are also seeing a rise in so called intellectual exercise. With good physical exercise we can maintain our health, but we must always be careful to not put it before all the other aspects of life that make us well rounded. The intellectual exercise is where we are beginning to see major issues. With the advent of the internet there are a plethora of information sources at our fingertips. Unfortunately, a vast amount of this information is bad information. We must be diligent to separate the wheat from the chaff. If our desire is to be godly, righteous, loving, and caring people then we must be diligent to exercise our intellect with only truthful and quality information. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Sirach 18:18-20

Before you speak, learn,
And before you get sick, take care of your health.
Before you make a judgment, examine yourself closely,
And in the hour of visitation you will find atonement.
Before you become sick, humble yourself;
And at the time of sinning, prove your conversion.

Personal Challenge

There are many insights in the Old Testament that offer sound advice for a quality life. Whether one accepts Christian principles or not, there is still wisdom in these teachings. Sirach provides some here. Learn the truth and the facts before you speak (or post). Take care of yourself and be humble in your actions and you can help push off being sick. Examine yourself closely before you judge another. When you know that you have done something to harm another, prove your sorrow and repentance by atoning to them. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

1 Timothy 2:1-4

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Personal Challenge

As a follower of Christ, I am exhorted to pray for all, all men, all women, all leaders, everyone. I am to do this in order to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. Praying for another does not mean that I submit to abuse or other in appropriate behavior. As my Orthodox Christian faith practice teaches me, I am not only to pray for those whom I like or who like me, but for my enemy and those who persecute me. However, it is okay to do what is necessary to change that which is around me that is wrong, abusive, corrupt, or ungodly. Even Jesus turned over the money-changer tables in the temple. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me the sinner and show me how to love my neighbor and to righteously stand up for that which is right and true!

Sirach 18:4-6

Who will measure His majestic power with a number,
And who will add to this measure
While describing His mercies?
There is no one who can add or subtract,
And there is no one who can search out the wonders of the Lord.
When a man completes his search, then he starts over;
And when he stops, he will still be perplexed.

Encouraging Words

Right in the middle of these three verses extolling the majesty of God, Sirach throws in the most majestic and immeasurable aspect of God, His mercies. His mercies are immeasurable. His mercies can neither be added to or taken from. No one can ever find the depth, width, or height of these mercies. We are truly perplexed when trying to understand the majesty of God’s mercy. Glory be to God!

1 Timothy 1:5

Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

Personal Challenge

The commandments that Jesus gave us to love God and love our neighbor is not some flippant expectation to just placate those around us. As followers of Christ, we are commanded to love others from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith. If we only love those who think like we do, aet like we do, worship like we do, then we are Christian in name only. Who is the neighbor that we are to love? Everyone, no matter what they look like, talk like, behave like…EVERYONE! This level of love is only possible if it is sourced in the God of love! Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner and forgive me for those times that I have not loved another as you have.