Keeping Faith and a Good Conscience.

1 and 2 Timothy have seventy-five commands for us to obey with intention and integrity. One of those commands is found in 1 Timothy 1:18-20. The word "faith" in verse 19 is synonymous with the word "command" in verse 18, so "keeping faith" could read "keeping the command."

The word "keeping" means to bear or wear the faith/command, allowing it to become part of our person. The faith is the body of doctrines written and preserved in the Word of God for us to obey.

Each of us is to keep this faith with a good conscience. A person’s conscience is well instructed and at peace when it knows and lives the commands of Scripture. Paul also mentions the conscience in 1 Timothy 1 and 3. Each mention is tied directly to the command of Scripture, the instruction of Scripture, and the mystery of faith pertaining to the Word of God and the gospel message of Jesus Christ.

The Third Witness of Who Jesus Is.

John 5 is a robust chapter recounting Jesus’ time spent in Jerusalem telling religious unbelievers that He is God. This is where threats upon Jesus’ life begin. For the next 3 years, He lives under these threats because of His works and His words, which proclaim that He is God.

The Second Witness of Who Jesus Is.

We are continuing the discussion of 3 witnesses or testimonies from God the Father that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.The first verified witness was John the Baptist. Some who heard his message saw the fruit, but the majority rejected the message of John the Baptist.

John, the Gospel writer, details the next two witnesses beginning in John 5:36:“But the testimony I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.”

The worst calamity is to be suffering and not to know why.

By Job 2:10, Satan has done his worst to Job and retreated from his life. God is silent and doesn’t make sense, and Job is alone.

Three of Job’s friends come to commiserate with him in Job 2:11-12. They respect his agony and sit with him in silence for 7 days.

In chapter 3, Job speaks. He asks the question “Why?” twenty times in this book, and a few are in this chapter. He asks why he was born (Job 3:3-10), why he is still alive (Job 3:11-19), and why he can’t die now (Job 3:20-26).

Religion's Response to Grace.

When religious people hear the Gospel, they respond to it sincerely from a heart that has been trained religiously. They generally reject God's free offer of grace without knowing so as they continue to work for God's favor. God never intended people to work for salvation; it is impossible! In fact, "religious good works shipwreck grace." God offers the free gift of eternal life only through His Son (Romans 6:23).

Embracing Our Omnipotent Support in Knowing and Doing the Will of God.

Romans 8:26 is another often-quoted verse from this chapter. Remember that its truth must be understood in the context of the spiritual security and assurance of the believer.

The Amazing Integrity of God's Household.

Good coaches emphasize the fundamentals because they are essential for success. At the end of chapter 3, Paul gives a parenthetical reminder to Timothy. If the churches that Timothy oversees at Ephesus are to have spiritual success, they must stay focused on their mission.

Personal and Ministry Integrity: The Foundation of Spiritual Boldness.

Paul had mentored Timothy for some time now. Timothy learned boldness in spite of timidity and learned to recognize and exercise his spiritual gifting. Timothy had watched Paul endure persecution and stay true to the gospel. By Acts 18, Timothy was strengthened to be an encouragement to his own teacher when Paul needed it. God has called every believer to be a spiritual encouragement to other saints. Even mature saints get tired and sometimes think about quitting, and even new believers can encourage these mature saints.

Supreme faith waits for God in crisis and the commonplace.

The narrative of Genesis 20 might look familiar, because we saw a similar story in Genesis 12. This is Abram’s second failure to trust God with his wife and his personal safety. Whenever God’s Word repeats itself, there is something for us to learn.