Radically Happy

Category: Devotional

  • Philemon Slave-ish Obedience

    What if Paul really did know Phil’s heart? In that case, rather than feeling shamed into doing what he did not want, Phil would actually be encouraged at Paul’s faith in him — and delighted at the chance to demonstrate his love for Paul in his treatment of Onesimus. The…

  • Titus 3 Fruitless

    The key, I suppose, is to set the bar for humility and unity by our own example, so that we have the moral authority to judge those who are truly divisive (vs. merely inquisitive).Perhaps that is why Paul values Titus so highly, and commends other such men to him:

  • Titus 2 Discrete Advice

    The bar for female elders is even higher, since they need to be his proxies to teach younger women:That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, [To be] discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that…

  • Titus 1 Cretins!

    Titus’ primary duty would actually appear to be leadership development, not evangelism:For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:Then follows a list of criteria, quite similar to those…

  • 2 Timothy 4 Well Seasoned

    But, based on the previous chapters, I think it applies equally to those who “dispute about words”, and obsess about “myths and genealogies” instead of pursuing godliness with their whole hearts.For Paul seems less concerned about Timothy’s notional beliefs than his practical behavior:But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions,…

  • 2 Timothy 3 Be Wise

    It is more encouraging to reflect on Paul’s positive example:But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,And we can trust him not just because of the power of God made manifest in his virtues, but also in his sufferings:Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto…

  • 2 Timothy 2 Trouble and Strife

    As we see in the athletic metaphor:And if a man also strive for masteries, [yet] is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.And (cf. other translations) also in an agricultural metaphor:The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.Clearly, the triple repetition implies Paul wants Timothy to take…

  • 2 Timothy 1 Hold On!

    At any rate, Timothy has not merely inherited his maternal faith, but also a spiritual anointing:Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.Paul seems particularly concerned that Timothy use that gift to combat…

  • 1 Timothy 6 Trust: Me

    Rather, it gets back to the desire to be our own god, to be in control of our circumstances by accumulating the power to control the world around us.Rather than submitting to the God-given circumstances in order to develop godly character:But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and…

  • 1 Timothy 5 Family Matters

    Really, it sounds as if the widows are actually enrolling in some sort of religious order, not merely receiving some free handouts.Which might be Rule 3: only enroll widows are willing to devote the rest of their lives to ministry, instead of seeking a family.And lest this seem too severe,…

  • 1 Timothy 5 Family Matters

    Questions: What is the question?”Read More” to pursue answers from First Timothy.Lord, make me a Fountain of your Love.Draw me into your PresenceAnd fill me with your Holy SpiritThat I would know you as my FatherAnd manifest the image of ChristIn this world, and the world to come.

  • 1 Timothy 4 Diet and Exercise

    “These things” also seem to be contrasted with the “fables” (perhaps because that is what the brethren remember instead!):But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness.Becoming godly is clearly hard work — but it is worth it:For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable…

  • 1 Timothy 3 Lead? Wait!

    None of us is perfect, but we choose to affirm an impossible (but good) goal in order that we can glorify God for His mercy — through our repentance — whenever we fall short.Moreover, this seems like just a small taste of Paul’s heart, meant to encourage Timothy in the…

  • 1 Timothy 2 Got To Pray

    So for now, I’m going to stubbornly stick to my tiny little interpretation of this one particular facet of God’s will, and see how far it gets us in this chapter.To start with, what is the truth he wants us to know, that is intimately tied to our salvation?For [there…

  • 1 Timothy 1 Charge!

    Alas, so few people (on either side of the issue) bother to pay attention to the full context of what Paul is commanding: the Right obsesses about the Law and ignores Love, while the Left does the opposite.The shared tragedy of both sides is that they have lost sight of…

  • Amos 9 Sift Lord

    Rather, I am tempted to see this as referring to the diaspora and exile, which only those who cling fast to their God will survive (as a people).Though, to be sure, the passage does seem to bespeak a more immediate judgement — especially on those who deny it:All the sinners…

  • Amos 8 Calling it Qayits

    And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will…

  • Amos 7 Plumb Worn Out

    Amen.Amos 7:1-17Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, [it was] the latter growth after the king’s mowings.And it came to pass, [that] when they had made an end of eating the…

  • Amos 6 A Dis-Eased Population

    for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock:In other words, they have treated morality as a something they can construct to serve their own hearts, based on their own power and wisdom:Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say, Have we not…

  • Amos 5 Seek, To Live

    Amen.Amos 5:1-27Hear ye this word which I take up against you, [even] a lamentation, O house of Israel.If the previous chapters foreshadowed judgement, this chapter makes it sound like judgement has already occurred:The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; [there…