Weekly Thoughts From Outside the Boat

Hey guys, This week’s Thought comes from 2 Timothy 4:5b. There, Paul says, “Work at telling others the good news and fully carry out the ministry that he has given you.” The phrases work at and fully carry out bring forth the image of high effort and follow through. It's the idea of using the gifts that God has given us, using the opportunities that He's given us, to share the Good News. It's not a reactive type of mindset, it's proactive. You're on offense instead of the de

Hey guys, This week’s Thought comes from 2 Timothy 3:17. There, Paul says, “God uses it to prepare and equip us for every good work.” Well, the obvious question is, what is it that Paul is referring to here? If you look back at verse 16, Paul tells us that all Scripture is God-breathed and divinely inspired. It is useful for correcting, teaching and showing us what is right and wrong. So, in verse 17, he is saying, God uses Scripture to prepare and equip us for every good w

Hey guys, This week’s Thought comes from the second part of 2 Timothy 2:22. There, Paul says, “Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.”Honestly, I have always paid so much attention to the first part of verse 22 that I've never noticed the last sentence. In the first part of verse 22, Paul tells Timothy, "Don't just flee youthful lusts but pursue righteousness.” I've taught that and counseled people through that many times. If all we do is run

Hey guys, This week’s Thought comes from 1 Timothy 1:19. As I read it, there was one word that leapt off the page and grabbed me. Paul is writing these words to Timothy, one of his disciples and a coworker in the faith. He tells Timothy to “cling to your faith in Christ and keep your conscience clear.” The word cling resonated with me. When I picture the word "cling”, I picture desperation. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen a few movies recently where people were hanging from pl

Hey guys, I just finished up my personal study of the book of Daniel, and let me tell you, it is deep water! There are biblical prophecies that cover thousands of years. Some of these prophecies are found in the book of Revelation and everywhere in between. There are also great stories in there that maybe you grew up on: Daniel in the lion's den, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, the writing on the wall, and the kings’ dreams that Daniel interprets. I rea