Paul serves as a mentor to a man named Timothy as a Church leader. He eventually writes two letters encouraging him as a Christian and in his role with the Church. Within this message, he gives one of his most significant statements to believers.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 – NIV 2011)

A follower of Jesus needs to handle the Bible correctly, especially Church leaders. This means several things:

1. You have an overall knowledge of the Bible. You need to understand the difference between the Old Covenant of law made with Abraham and Moses. Then be able to compare that to the New Covenant of grace made through the blood of Jesus. This knowledge will enable people to use the Old Testament correctly in applying it to their lives.
2. You build all theology based on the Bible. Public opinion doesn’t matter, and personal experience does not matter; a historical figure’s idea doesn’t matter, and not even the current scientific stance should sway you. This is often called “allowing scripture to interpret scripture.” Paul refers to “the whole counsel of God.” A student of Jesus needs to know all the Bible and how it all connects.
3. You will accept the plain reading of the Bible as best. It is always good to dig deep into the Greek words, historical background, and context of the passage. The goal is always to reach the “Author’s Intended Meaning.” If someone must explain some possible obscure meaning from an ancient word that does not align with the plain reading, it is usually wrong.
4. Know the Bible can be handled wrongly. Just because a college gave someone a degree does not mean they can correctly handle the scriptures. Just because they are a preacher, pastor, priest, or Church leader, stand up to speak, have a YouTube channel, or say they are 100 percent convinced does not make them correct. Read your Bible yourself. Study. Ask logical questions. And reject anything contrary to sound interpretation.

The Bible is the primary tool for a believer. Therefore, we need to ensure we are correctly handling it, along with those who speak from it. It is easy for people to deceive others because they cannot make the proper interpretation. So Paul tells Timothy to make this one of his primary goals, and so should you.

I would currently describe my sermon writing style as “following breadcrumbs.”

Sitting down on Monday, I read the text I picked for my sermon repeatedly and from different English translations. Then, I start a list of observations and ideas from that reading. Then I see where it goes.

Each new idea is a little breadcrumb I pick up and digest along this journey.

What does that word mean? What does it mean for us, and what did the original word mean to the first readers? Is there any other place that word is used in the Bible? What concepts does this passage reveal or help us to understand? Are there any other passages we need to view to help us understand this one better?

Then comes the application breadcrumbs. What would happen if we lived this idea as believers? What would that look like? How would I explain it to people? Are there any analogies or anecdotes that would help people to understand this part of faith and put it into practice? 

I no longer sit down with a firm idea and then use the Bible to prove I am correct. I don’t try to force a three-point outline like some cookie-cutter shape for sermons. I don’t try to use every passage of scripture that touches on a particular topic. Instead, I try to listen to what the Bible says, follow the Spirits leading, and communicate an idea that the people in my congregation might need to hear. 

Some weeks this process leads me to Bible dictionaries and commentaries. Then it will lead me to an hour-long Google search on the stages of grief. And finally, I will handwrite the four movements of a person, from hearing the gospel to believing it, trying to identify how grief might keep us from Jesus.

All those breadcrumbs become a sermon. I write it. I edit it. I re-edit it. I leave it alone for a couple of days. I reread it. I practice it, and finally, I preach it.

I no longer view sermon writing as an exact science but as the art of taking God’s word and pulling together various thoughts until I can share them with God’s people. And I do it one breadcrumb at a time.

Bitterness is defined as anger and disappointment at being treated unfairly. It can be associated with resentment and hostility. It often leaves us with feelings of pain and distress.

When the Apostle Paul writes to the Church in the city of Ephesus, he starts giving them instructions for living out their faith. In this part of his letter, he tells them to rid themselves of destructive behaviors. The first thing he writes is, “Get rid of all bitterness.” (Eph. 4:31)

One of the biggest things Christians need to remove from their lives is the painful sting caused by disappointments. We thought life should have gone this way for us, and it didn’t. This can be directed at other people, but often it is turned toward God. We believe God is real, and that is the quandary; how could this God have allowed us to be treated this way?

Why did they have to get cancer? Why did he have to do that to our family? Why did I have to walk through that hurt and pain? All those questions result in us becoming bitter.

I often talk to people about guilt, shame, and remorse. Those are the feelings brought on by our failures and sins. Bitterness is the result of painful feelings created by the actions of others, including God.

If we follow God, our faith must come to the point where we trust that he is doing a mighty work in our lives even when we do not see or understand it. While we do not like how things went, we know he works for our good. When we doubt his goodness, we lean into the words of scripture that encourage us to trust him. 

There is no foolproof way to remove bitterness from the life of a believer, but there is a way for us to let it go. It requires a faith more immense than our circumstances in a God who is able to bring life out of death. The empty tomb reminds us that God can turn all bitterness into celebration.   

I heard a person describe life with this analogy.

Life without God is like riding a bike uphill. You have to push yourself and work hard to make any progress. And you never seem to crest the top.

Life with God is like riding a bike downhill. You still must be alert and watch out for danger, but the ride is much easier. You will need to decide the exact path you will take, but most of the work is being driven by a force outside yourself. And you never seem to reach the bottom. 

I know there are ways this analogy falls apart. Sometimes our experiences seem to prove it wrong. But overall, the general concept is valid. There are divine forces at work that we have no control over that are powering us through each leg of our journey. So often, we need to stop peddling so arduously and let God move us through the seasons of life.

When something positive happens in your life, there are two questions you need to answer.

Who do you call first? You know they will genuinely be happy for you.

Who do you feel will not truly be happy for you?

Those two answers will reveal who you need to spend more time with and who you need to move out of your life.

To have one, you need to have actually read the Bible.

Otherwise, you are only sharing your opinions. 

Don’t claim to be an advocate for a book you don’t read or have never entirely read. 

I believe God has a calling on your life to serve him. I am unsure what that might be, but I am sure of a few things.

God is not calling you to do everything. Therefore, you do not need to be involved in every ministry and fill every minute of your time.

God is not calling you to do nothing. You should not sit back and let everyone else serve while you watch.

God is calling you to do something. 

The preacher shouted to his approving congregation, “Some people out there are ashamed of the truth. They don’t believe what I am telling you tonight.”  At its core, I am sure he was partially correct. But there was another part that bothered me. His shouts were given to the most approving crowd possible. So there was zero risk in his declaration.

He had created what is often called a Straw Man fallacy. He made a caricature of the people who might oppose his words and then easily defeated them. He did not address the serious issues of the matter or offer well-reasoned arguments. His stand for truth was really more grandstanding.

For the Church to move forward in the name of Jesus, we need to be willing to address real people with complex issues with properly thought-through concepts. Then we must step out of the comfort of the Church and risk discussing our beliefs with people who do not agree or understand. When we do this, little affirmation will be given to our attempts, but real people will hear the gospel instead of us knocking down straw men.  

Everyone in the audience seemed to be into it. They were singing along. Many were waving their arms and swaying with the music. Once the preacher got up, they took notes, and some people shouted, “Amen.” Still, other people in the crowd were nodding and into every word. The evening ended with some people in tears and enthusiasm for others. 

The whole evening was incredibly moving for most of the people. The expression many used was “they could feel the spirit moving.”

Me? I felt nothing. Maybe it was because I was tired. Maybe because I was distracted. 

Whatever the reason, I was not feeling it that night.

I was reminded that the Holy Spirit does not work on and in people the same way every time. Music that speaks to your soul may not be the songs that speak to mine. Messages you need to hear are not always what I need to hear.

Believers will not always feel the same things at the same time. And that is okay. We do not need identical experiences as believers, but we do need a time when the Spirit speaks to our soul. Saying, “I did not feel the Spirit that night,” is entirely understandable; saying, “I never feel the Spirit,” is when you may have a problem.  

You will never find extra time for anything.

There is no magical way to find time for reading your Bible, praying, serving, or loving in the name of Jesus.

You have to make time for it.