God as Your Teacher

May 20, 2025

In Psalm 25, David makes a plea to God, asking Him to be his teacher.  “Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.” (Psalm 25:4–5 NASB95) Have you ever asked God to be your teacher?  I’m convinced that God will be pleased to hear this prayer from us and to answer it.  But who is it that the Lord will teach? 

God will teach those who wait for Him.  To wait on God is to rely on Him.  It is to set your hope on Him and expect that He will answer you.  God is looking at us to see if we trust Him and Him alone.  He is pleased to help those who wait on Him.

Who will God teach?  It is the one who is humble. “He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way.” (Psalm 25:9, NASB95) In order to be taught, we must be teachable.  This is the essence of humility—being teachable.  The humble person does not think too highly of themselves or their own knowledge, and therefore they are ready and willing to receive wisdom from God.  If we begin to believe that we have arrived or that we already know everything, we should not expect to receive any additional insight from God.  But God is pleased to teach the humble in His way.

Who will God teach?  It is the one who fears Him.  “Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.” (Psalm 25:12 NASB95) The person who fears the Lord stands in awe of who He is.  They recognize His power, His wisdom, and His holiness.  The one who fears the Lord will be diligent to stay away from the path of sin because they have a healthy dread of displeasing Him.  The one who fears the Lord opens the word of God and trembles at what he reads.  It is this person that God will instruct in the way he should choose. 

Have you asked God to be your teacher?  Think of the wonderful blessings that will be ours if God Himself teaches us His paths and makes us to know His ways.  Let us ask God to teach us and let us also prepare our hearts to receive His teaching.

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin

A Spiritual Debt, A Spiritual Legacy

May 20, 2025

Timothy became a traveling companion and assistant on Paul’s second missionary journey. Timothy had a good reputation with the church, and he proved to be a valuable worker. Timothy is mentioned with Paul as a sender in 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon. He worked in Berea, Macedonia, Corinth, Thessalonica, and Ephesus. He accompanied Paul on his final trip to Jerusalem, and Hebrews mentions his release from prison (Hebrews 13:23). But we gain a personal insight into Timothy’s life, when Paul wrote: “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, ESV). Timothy owed a spiritual debt to his mother and grandmother.

Eunice and Lois were not a perfect mother and grandmother. Why did Eunice marry a Gentile? Was that a good spiritual decision given the instructions of the Law? Were they grieved when Timothy’s eighth day of life passed without a circumcision as the Law commanded (Acts 16:3)? Yet, maybe that can be reassuring to us. We can have a positive spiritual impact having made some bad decisions in our life. Few of us would volunteer ourselves as models of perfect parenthood. The past is past. We must live for God today, and that is what Eunice and Lois did.

Eunice and Lois had a sincere faith. Faith is more than having your name on a church membership role or occupying a pew on Sunday morning. Faith must be lived in daily life. Our devotional life must overflow from the assembly into family and private devotions. Our moral life must be demonstrated on how we treat real people and not what lessons have we heard. If we have strong faith, it is more likely that our children will have strong faith. If we have moderate faith, our children may see the inconsistencies and have weaker faith. If we have weak faith, our children may have no faith. We can’t pass along what we don’t have. The greatest gift we can give our children is being people of sincere faith.

Eunice and Lois nurtured faith in Timothy. Paul reminded Timothy of his past: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14-15, ESV ). We can imagine Timothy taught Bible stories from his earliest years. We can imagine spiritual insights shared in daily life at those teachable moments.

Timothy owed a spiritual debt to his mother and grandmother. Lois and Eunice had a spiritual legacy because of their sincere faith and faithful instruction.

Mothers are important to us in many ways, but a spiritual legacy is the greatest gift of all. Happy Mother’s Day!

—Russ Holden         

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Posted by Scott Colvin

Freedom from Guilt

May 9, 2025

Unresolved guilt can be a terrible force of destruction in our lives.  We have all had a guilty conscience at one time or another.  We have all felt that knot in our stomach or faced a restless night because we have done wrong.  These are not pleasant feelings, but generally speaking, the feeling of guilt is necessary.  Our conscience creates guilt within us when we know we have done wrong, and this is a blessing!  Guilt is a signal to us that we need to confess our sin to God, turn from the path we are on, and seek forgiveness.  Thank God for a good conscience that warns us and calls us back to the right path.

But sometimes, people who have long ago been forgiven by God are still living their lives being pressed down with a heavy weight of guilt and shame. If our conscience hasn’t been fully convicted of God’s forgiveness, many serious problems will result.  A Christian who has been forgiven but doesn’t know it or believe it, can struggle with anxiety and depression.  They can struggle with feeling distant from God because they believe He is continually disappointed in them and frowning at them. And so, they stay away from God.  They may stay away from God’s people, or feel very uncomfortable around them, thinking things like, “If these people really knew who I am, they wouldn’t accept me.”  These kinds of feelings are very harmful for spiritual health and growth.

How can we overcome these feelings of unwarranted guilt?  We have to understand the nature of God and learn to trust in His forgiveness.  Listen to these words of David,

“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.

 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.

 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:8-12 NAS95)

Do you realize the nature of God?  He is compassionate!  He is gracious!  He abounds in love!  He will not stay angry forever.  He does not deal with us according to our sins.  No, He is gracious and forgiving.  Understanding these things about God will help us to trust in His forgiveness.

Do you realize the completeness of His forgiveness?  His love for His children is immeasurable, and as such, the completeness of His forgiveness is immeasurable.  He has removed our sins from us as far as the east is from the west.  When God forgives you, He will never remember your sins against you again!  They are gone forever.

You and I have found complete forgiveness in Jesus Christ.  Let’s not let the sins of our past haunt us and weigh us down anymore.  If God has forgiven them, they are forgiven and forgotten forever!  And when we sin, let us confess our sins, turn back to the light, and trust that the blood of Jesus keeps us continually cleansed in His sight! (1 John 1:9) 

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Do You Want to Really Live?

May 9, 2025

Everyone wants to live “the good life,” but what does that mean?  Many think the good life is being wealthy, living in comfort, or retiring early.  Some think the good life is one of partying and fun.  Some may think it is found in a very successful career.  How would you define the good life?  And how can you obtain it? 

Listen to these inspired words of David:

“Do you want to really live? Would you love to live a long, happy life?

 Then make sure you don’t speak evil words or use deceptive speech.

 Turn away from evil and do what is right. Strive for peace and promote it.” (Psalm 34:12-14 NET)

So, how can we really live?  First, we must control our speech.  We need to choose to not speak evil.  Evil words include things like gossip and slander.  It would include words that are spoken in a fit of anger that wound another person.  Things like these can make our lives miserable (by our own doing) and rob us of the good life.  We must also choose to not speak words that are deceitful.  Lying or misleading people with our words brings much trouble and sorrow.  On the other hand, using words that are filled with love, with truth, and encouragement will not only bless those around us, but will bring God’s blessings into our lives.

Second, to really live, we must turn away from evil.  We live in a world that is full of evil.  You and I must choose not to participate in deeds of darkness, and we must strive to not let it influence us or our families.  But it is not enough to turn away from evil.  We need to also do what is right.  We face the choice to do right or wrong on a daily basis.  If you want to really live, choose what is right!  Then the rich blessings of God will flow into your life.

Finally, to really live, we need to strive for peace and promote it.  How does one promote peace?  By being humble toward others, by speaking with gentleness and grace, by being patient with others, and by forgiving those who have wronged us—just as the Lord forgave us.  We promote peace by refusing to keep a record of wrongs and by choosing to not harbor resentment and bitterness toward others.  When we fail to pursue peace, we will bring a lot of sorrow into our own lives.  But if we will follow the way of peace, we will be richly blessed.  Those who sow peace will reap its beautiful fruit. 

How might we summarize these instructions?  Live like Christ.  Reflect His love.  Those who do will find true life!

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin

Living in Light of the Resurrection

May 2, 2025

Our faith and our salvation are built upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The historical fact of His resurrection cannot be over emphasized.  There is no way in which we could speak of it too often, for it is the critical component to everything we believe.  As Paul writes to the church at Corinth (who were doubting the resurrection of the dead), “But if there is no resurrection from the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain… and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.  If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:13-14, 17-19 NASB95) Without the resurrection of Christ, our faith is meaningless, we are still in our sins, and we have no hope for the future.

But the fact is, “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20, NASB95) This is the glorious fact!  Jesus was raised!  There are many powerful and convincing proofs of this fact.  There are many eyewitness accounts of this fact.  We can be assured that His resurrection is real, and our faith can rest solidly in this reality.  And because He is alive, we too are alive!  Because He is risen, we have been raised with Him and seated with Him in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 2:6) Because He is risen, we are now dead to sin and alive to God.  Because He is risen, one day we too will be raised with a glorious new body.   Because He is risen, we have hope of seeing our loved ones who have died in the Lord again.

Jesus is alive!  And we have been made alive with Him!  Shouldn’t this truth have a major impact on our lives?  How should we now live?  As Paul writes, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3 NASB95).  We should now continue to seek the things above, setting our mind on heavenly things rather than earthly things. 

How should we now live?  We should continue to put to death our earthly ways. (Colossians 3:5) Immorality, greed, anger, slander, lying, and the like should all be rooted out of our lives with the help of God’s Spirit. 

How should we now live?  By putting on the qualities of the resurrected life: Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love. (Colossians 3:12-14)

Let’s rejoice on this day!  Jesus is alive, and we live with Him!  Let us now walk as those who are alive from the dead!

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin