Whose Voice am I Listening to?

 

2 Timothy 2:14-19

No matter what your profession, it is always wise to inquire of those over you, if you are meeting their expectations.  In sales you normally have a review twice a year and at that time I would ask my boss to share his goals and what I could do to help him meet his personal goals.  Have you ever ask the Lord about His plans for your life and what you need to do to enhance His kingdom on this earth?  Paul is telling Timothy not to quarrel about words, what kind of words; Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 1:4-7.  Much of this was coming from teachers without understanding either of what they were saying or the things about which they made confident assertions.  They talk about myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.  Paul tells Timothy, “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.   He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.”  (1 Timothy 6:3-5)  Watch out for such people, in fact run from them!

If you are not asking the Lord for your performance appraisal today is a great day to begin, but make sure you stop and listen.  This was Paul’s counsel to young Timothy; “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handing the word of truth.”  (2 Timothy 2:15)  A person who applies and rightly handles the Scriptures will allow that truth to guide them; they will put faith in God’s promises no matter what the circumstances or what they are feeling.  Much of this not being ashamed is based in; do I value truth more than anything else?  The Psalmist tells us in Psalms 119:72, “The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”  He stays with that theme in Psalms 119:127, “Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold.”  He is putting God and His promises and commands before all else, before family, business, church, he is a doer of the word, not just a hearer.  In Proverbs 23:23, “Buy the truth and do not sell it, get wisdom, discipline and understanding.”

My daughter came home from church camp as a very young teen and proclaimed to my wife and I that Jesus and Truth or interchangeable words, that Jesus is truth.  What amazing insight and in John 1:14, we are told the following: “The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  Later in that same book we have these words from our Lord Jesus, who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  (John 14:6)  It sure sounds like Jesus has total control of the way to God the Father, that He has total control of both truth and is the giver of life.  You may be like Pilate, asking questions but refusing the answers, is that where you find yourself? 

This is the conversation between Jesus and Pilate; “Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?”  Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king.  For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”  (John 18:37)  So you must ask this question; whose voice am I listening to?

Form the Back Porch,

Bob Rice