Breathe
Read This Week: 2 Timothy 3
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
A human being can breathe in two different ways – voluntarily and involuntarily. Involuntary is when we’re going through a day and breathing without thinking about it or making an effort. Our brain and respiratory system are working together to help our lungs process air in and out. Voluntary breathing happens when we intentionally do something with our breath like talk, blow out a candle or sing off key in the shower.
2 Timothy 3:16 says that God voluntarily breathed out the Scriptures meaning he purposely spoke his divine and eternal words to us. Just like he spoke the universe into existence in Genesis 1, God gave us the incredible gift of the Bible that shows us the way to redemption and helps us in every area of our lives without exception.
When something is spoken by God that means it’s perfect, and therefore it is always relevant and beneficial for anything we encounter in this life. No scenario, situation, challenge, decision, or life issue exists that the Bible cannot provide an answer for. It is to our advantage and key to our success to read the Scriptures; to know them and breathe them in like oxygen that provides the power and energy we need.
God’s word meets our deepest needs and changes us from the inside out. It is better than Google. It is better than Siri and it’s better than the guru on the other side of the podcast. It is better than other people’s observations and the practical advice we may pick up at the water cooler. All those things can be good, but all those things can’t equip us for every good work like the Bible can. So breathe it in and live.
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In reading 2 Timothy 3, I am reminded of how the world wants to get you diverted, off track and derailed. It’s so important to stay focused on God and His people. The Bible is a tool, breathed by God, for you to get to know Him, learn His ways and to interact with Him directly, plus so much more.
Reading a section of scripture each week, as we do in A Week In The Life, really helps you grow in the Lord, as you connect with Him through the Word. To join and share the conversation all week long with God’s people is biblical. The early church met from house to house daily to read the biblical letters, to share them with each other and to get God-breathed revelation for their lives. I want to encourage you to breathe in the Holy Spirit, the very Breath of God and share what he is saying to you. We want to hear God through you!
So true, Ken. We must always keep him and his word first and not let the things of this world get us off track.
I’m sorry “pastor Ken.”
Great points, Ken. The deeper the connection to God and His word, the deeper the growth and sustainability in our lives. May we all stay rooted in God’s truth throughout the week and throughout the course of our lives so He can guide us as we finish well.
Today as Ken had our men’s lunch discussing 2 Timothy chapter 3, God brought my attention to this: “as time goes on my son, children in the faith will become more involved in themselves and in money and become disrespectful to their mothers and fathers. You as a Christian and my child, I give to you the right and understanding to teach them, young and old to respect and treat their mothers and fathers at home and in public as well as the elders in the church with the utmost respect for my teachings.”
As we look at people in public and see children demanding things from their mother and father, they show absolute disrespect. It is evident that they have not been taught them the way of the father. With that said, I believe we need to start bringing his word back into the home and share his truth with our children and with people in the faith.
Thank God that He allows you to have freedom in so many areas of your life. It is a two-edged sword, however. Seeking God and knowing He loves you and is looking out for your good, is paramount to trusting God and God’s authority. It’s hard to trust when you have been burned by people. I know God wants you to be healed from that and to learn to trust again. Honoring God through people isn’t always easy, but it is the good and right thing to do.
This is quite possibly one of the most difficult things we can do sometimes, Ken, honoring God through and in the way we treat people. But it is also one of the pure expressions of God’s heart and the love of Christ. Just as Jesus told us that the great indicator of being his follower is how we love each other, the compassion and grace that we show to the world is equally powerful.
We are a direct product of our homes whether we like it or not, so it is imperative that we share God’s word and truth with our kids so it can shape them and their worldview. If this happens, they will act with greater respect for their parents, friends and other people in general. It’s not always easy to be consistent with having spiritual conversations with our kids but it is worth it for their lives and personal development as you are saying here.
Yes we are a direct product of our home. As a child I was a product of my home. And I turned against God because my father was used by his church. He later tought me the church only wanted money. And nothing else. In later years my wife Jeri introduced me to pastor Ken and Pastor Heidi. And they showed me that it’s not all about the money and a large church. It’s about the love and sharing of Him. And the desperation of bringing others to him. And they have tought and showed me to start with love and understanding of others. To read and teach and share with them the total truth and love of him
Awe! Thank you Sam for sharing!!
We’re so happy to be apart of your life! We are blessed by your love too!!
Today at Ladies Lunch, we were in 2 Timothy 3. God is the most important person in your life to help, guide and train you as well as follow every day, rely on and get your instructions from first thing in the morning. Also, God gives us people in our life, to help us, influence us and inspire us to follow Jesus teachings.
God gave Paul to Timothy, to train him in the ways of the Lord. He is encouraging him to continue to hold on to things that he had learned and to live a life pleasing to God, to help others and have a purpose in life as they follow God God’s will. What that means to me, is that it’s important to wake up every day, to make a difference for God and to desire to work at being an encourager. This allows us to love others and to influence others to love God and to spend time getting to know Him.
This is so true, Heidi. It is very difficult to encourage, teach and build up others in their faith if we ourselves are not waking up every day and pursuing God and his instruction. An anemic spiritual life makes it hard to truly know what’s God’s will and heart is and it makes it very difficult to pass on to others. We have to follow after God consistently, and as you said, put ourselves in a position to be challenged and encouraged by others.
God gave me my Dr Tongg, my pastor in Hawaii. He taught us how to love others where they are at! He influenced me in so many’s way!!
I’m so thankful to God for giving us the best!!
God also gave me my husband who has taught me a lot about God and His love. Thank you God!!
And I’m so thankful that God makes it easy for us to influence others to serve Him in many way’s!!
Right on Pastor Heidi. God gave us the best, why mess with the rest. That include you sweetie.
Today at Ladies Bible Study we were in 2 Timothy Chapter 3. I picked verse 16 and God was saying to me that if the Bible says something it is for a reason. We may not understand the reason at the time, but if it says it, it has a purpose. We can also learn from other people’s experience in the Bible.
If it were not for the Scriptures, we would not know how to be righteous. The Bible tells us that righteousness is received from God through Christ, not earned by something we can do. We are clothed in the righteousness of Christ when we enter into a relationship with him.
Jeri. I appreciate your thoughts and agree that the relevance and purposefulness of the Bible for us today is as powerful as it was for those we see in the Scriptures. That’s because, as you affirmed, it says something for a reason. And that reason is to bring glory to God in any age.
Celebrating our 39 year anniversary, really shows me how much God loves me. To give me such a wonderful lady to share my life with. God, now you’re just showing off 🙂
Congratulations on 39 years!
Thank you, God, for blessings us! Yes, He is always showing off and turns everything for our good. He loves it when we notice everything little and the big things that he does for us.
God is so gracious and gives good gifts to us!
God is saying, “I give you My Breath, which is Me, the Holy Spirit. I do this, so we will always be together and you will never have to be alone. You are in Me and I am and you.”
In our gathering today we were in 2 Timothy Chapter 3 and I was drawn to verse 15. God was saying to me as Paul was saying to Timothy, “Do not let these teachings fade from your memory. Keep them ever before you. They were good enough to save you and they are also good enough to live by.” What that means to me is that salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ and that alone. We remember here, that Timothy was preaching where they were trying to put him back under the law. Paul reminds him of what saved him.
Thank you for sharing Jeri! It’s so wonderful to hear God through you.
Nice one Jeri. Yes, by responding to God, we get saved and by responding to God, we continue to grow.
This is one of the stronger points I’ve seen on this passage. Paul is absolutely telling Timothy about the ongoing vitality, relevance and power of the Scriptures that was breathed out by God. The same power that it contained then still exists in this very moment. It can still save and change.
As we read 2 Timothy chapter 3 today, God drew me to chapter 3 verse 16, “Every scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, (and) training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action).” And he was saying to me, I breathed your first breath of life into you when you were born and I not only gave that to you I also gave you the breath of knowledge; to know me throughout the rest of your life. Go breathe my words to others. As you speak my words, you breathe life and love to others that may not have chosen the right path. I hear Him in every breath I take and every good word I speak. I love the feeling I get when I share His words through me to others. And I hope that I breathe his word so much throughout my life untilthe last breath I will take.
Thank you for sharing Jeri! It’s so wonderful to hear God through you.
Wow!
That’s awesome Sam!!
Thanks for sharing!
I love to hear God through you!!!
Yes Sam, all of the good things you do and say with God are an awesome flow of God through you to others.
Sam, this is a beautiful and inspiring post to breathe God’s life and love to others and to finish well in your journey as you do so. Blessings, friend.
Today we were in 2 Timothy 3. I was drawn to verse 14: “But as for you, continue to hold to the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced, knowing from whom you learned [them].” What God put on my heart and what this means to me, is there will always be people in the world who really don’t love God and desire a relationship with Him. For me, I’m always asking God to help me with a soft heart to help those who are responding to Him and to continue to help those who do want to learn about God! I’ll continue to remember that all my teaching comes from Jesus and be thankful for all of his inspired teachings.
Heidi, you are my best example of God’s Heart.