Today’s Reading:
Read I Timothy 1:1-5, 12-20; 2:1-7; 4; 6–
Parents, think of a teacher you really loved! Try to remember a story you can share with your family about that special teacher. Allow anyone in your family to share a story about a teacher they really loved. It could be a teacher from school or a teacher from church.
Paul and Timothy traveled together to tell the good news of Jesus. Paul was older than Timothy. He spent a lot of time teaching Timothy. 1 Timothy is a letter Paul wrote to Timothy who was a young minister at the time in Ephesus. Paul had heard of some concerns that the church was facing, and, in his letter, he gave Timothy instructions on how to handle the issues.
Paul told Timothy that the “goal of (his) instruction (was) love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.” (I Timothy 1:5) Paul wanted Timothy to have all he needed to lead well.
Paul also wanted Timothy to have confidence in himself as a leader. In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul said, “Don’t let anyone despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” Paul believed in Timothy’s ability to lead.
Application/Prayer:
Make a card or a gift to thank your teacher! Christmas is a great time to let that teacher know how much you appreciate them. Thank God for the teachers He has put in your life to help you learn and grown.
December Memory Verse:
I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.
Using the daily reading prompts from George H. Guthrie’s Read the Bible for Life, here’s how to use this devotional:
- Bring your Bible! Your kids need to see that everything you are reading to them or learning about comes from an actual Bible!
- Each day starts with a reading prompt. Read the selection as a family. If your kids are readers, encourage them to read along with you.
- After you’ve read the passage, read the short devotional thought that goes along with each passage.
- Prayer and application are important any time we read God’s word! After each devotional, there is a challenge to help apply what your family has read that day.
- There is a reading for six days of the week. The last reading of the week is a Gospel Conversation Prompt to help you connect the reading from the week with God’s plan for salvation.
Other Resources:
December memory verse coloring sheet